DE4422619A1 - Printing system - Google Patents

Abstract

A printing system is described, which uses a network having: terminals, which output requests to print documents, each request including a designation of printing specifications of the document; a multiplicity of printers, which are connected to the terminals via the network in order that they can be used jointly; at least one print server, which is equipped with a first control table for storing therein the document printing specifications for the respective printers and with a print spooler for recording therein the documents which are to be printed and are transmitted by the terminals, and which print server is connected to the network in such a way that it controls the printing of the multiplicity of printers; and a print management server, which is equipped with a second control table for reading out the document printing specifications of the respective printers, which specifications are stored in the first control table of the print server, and for storing therein the read-out specifications, and which print management server controls the printing in such a way that it selects the desired printers which are suitable for the document printing specifications stored in the second control table, to be precise from a multiplicity of printers on the basis of the document printing requests which include the designation of the document printing specifications as are output by the terminals, and that it [lacuna] the documents which are to be printed and [lacuna] for the ... Original abstract incomplete.

Description

The present invention relates to a printing system in which a variety of data processors, such as workstations and personal Computers that can share a variety of printers.

In recent years, LANs (local area networks) and wide area networks (WANs) in the field of data processing such as workstations, personal computers and word processors spreads. With the spread of the networks, a print server that the large number of data processors (which are generically referred to below as "Client" or "Requester" are referred to) sharing enabled by printers, important for reducing installation costs and to reduce the size of an installation area.

A prior art printing system using print servers ( 14 and 15 ) is constructed as illustrated in FIG. 2. Here, users who each use one of requesters A (11) to B (12) can share a printer A (16), a printer B (17) and a printer C (18). Numeral 10 indicates a network.

Such prior art techniques are e.g. B. in the official notices of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (KO- KAI) No. 29021/1991, No. 36826/1992, No. 230514/1992, No. 245525/1992,  No. 250522/1992 and No. 317118/1992 and the ISO / IEC DIS standards 10175-1 and 10175-2 of ISO (International Standardization Organization) contain.

In the above-mentioned prior art systems, dial in a condition that the user of each requester knows exactly nis the set of Druc that can be used on the requester in question core and has the specifications of all usable printers, he himself the printer responsible for the specifications of a document to be printed suitable, and commands the selected printer to print the document ment to print out.

Therefore, there has been a problem in the prior art that the full trusts become a huge burden with the specifications of each printer for the user concerned, so that it is difficult to find the variety full use of printers.

More specifically, the printer specification includes (1) a dot density, (2) one Printing speed, (3) the possibilities of duplex (or double-sided) gen) printing and color printing, (4) available paper sizes, (5) the types of available PDLs (Page Description Languages, Seitenbe languages), (6) the types of available fonts, etc. Such diverse specifications of the printers come from the recent one remarkable progress in printer technology. Continue to tend users to at least several such different printers too use, according to their application areas of Word processing, DTP (desktop publishing), form output, etc. Accordingly, the burden of each user is precise The specifications of different printers are very large.  

In addition, sometimes the situation has arisen where, because the user an unsuitable printer because of its misunderstanding selected printer specifications, he did not select the intended ones Receives printing results.

A situation was also foreseen in which, as the result of the selected printer made a mistake despite the correct ver and the user does not choose the desired printing can be executed.

Incidentally, the official release of the Japanese revealed published patent applications (KOKAI) No. 245525/1992 a Tech nik, in which a device referred to as a "management server" installed to remove that printer from a variety of printers choose who can print out in the shortest possible waiting time. However teaches this publication does not provide a technique for solving the above Disadvantage.

In addition, the following items are currently available possible printing systems have not been considered:

• (i) With the further development of a client / server system, their Efficiency and reliability by combining one size number of print servers on a network can be improved.
• (ii) A printer of the type that is directly connected to a network (referred to as a "network printer") is from the point of view effectively; that the printer is in any desired location within the Network can be placed. With a printer of this type however the corresponding relationship between the printer and  a print server for its control from the outside Unknown connection of this printer. Therefore, if a Requester or client a document printing request to any prints out such a network printer, it doesn't find out, which of the print servers is relevant to the request.

Accordingly, the prior art printing systems had the pro blem that the multitude of printers and print servers are not effective ver could be used so that the operability or Expediency of the system is inferior. Another problem was that the system fails to provide increased reliability due to the effective use of the variety of printers and print servers to show.

It is an object of the present invention to achieve the above stated Solve problems of the prior art and a printing system ready where a variety of printers with different specifics ions can be used effectively.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a printing system provide improved operability, which automatically turns a printer is selected that is suitable for document printing specifications. It is yet another object of the present invention, a printing system to provide improved operability and reliability where a Management server for distributed printing belonging to a network Printers and print servers managed in a centralized way and one Printer and a print server that selects for document printing is suitable specifications by a requester or client are drawn.  

One aspect of the performance of the present invention to achieve The goals are a printing system that is a network used, which has: end devices, the requirements or to Issue questions about printing documents, each of the requirements a description of the print specifications of the document closes; a variety of printers with the end devices over the Network connected to be shared; and a Print management facility equipped with a tax table in the document printing specifications for each of the variety of printers stored in the core, with the facility managing printing to select the printer that is used for certain document printing specs cations stored in the control table is suitable from a variety of printers based on document printing requirement which is the designation of the specific document printing specifications as output by the terminal closes and around the document specified by the terminal print using the selected printer.

Another aspect of the performance of the present invention consists of a printing system that uses a network that comprises: terminals, the requirements for printing documents issue, each of the requirements designating the print includes specifications of the document; a variety of printers, which are connected to the terminals via the network in order to to be sam usable; at least one print server connected to the network is connected to control the printing of the plurality of printers ern; and a print manager with a control table is in which the document printing specifications for everyone the plurality of printers is stored, the device Print managed to select the printer to use for certain  Document printing specifications stored in the control table is suitable, namely from a variety of printers based the document printing requirement, which specifies the designation of the th document printing specifications as output by the terminal and includes the document sent from the terminal is to be carried out in the selected printer via the print server to press.

Yet another aspect of the performance of the present invention is a printing system that uses a network that comprises: terminals, the requirements for printing documents issue, each of the requirements designating the print includes specifications of the document; a variety of printers, which are connected to the terminals via the network in order to to be shared; at least one print server running one Control table for monitoring the printing status of the respective printer and is equipped for storing the pressure states and with the network is connected to printing the variety of Control printers; and a print management device that works with a Control table, which contains the document printing specifications for each of the plurality of printers is stored, with the facility manages printing to select the printer that will be used for agreed document printing specifications that are saved in the control table are suitable, from a variety of printers based on the document printing requirement, which is the label the specific document printing specifications as given by the terminal and the document to be printed, the is transferred from the terminal to a desired printer selected printer via the print server according to the print status  the print that is stored in the control table of the print server are.

Yet another aspect of the performance of the present invention is a printing system that uses a network, which comprises: terminals that have requirements for printing Issue documents, with each of the requirements a label including print specifications of the document; a variety of Printers connected to the end devices via the network to be shared; at least one print server that works with a first control table for storing the document printing speci? cations for the respective printer and a print spooler in it Register the documents to be printed by the end devices are transmitted, equipped and connected to the network is to control the printing of the plurality of printers; and one Print management server with a second control table for reading the document printing specifications of the respective printer, which are in the first control table of the print server are stored, and for therein Save the read specifications is equipped, and that the Print managed to select the printers you want to print to certain document printing specifications in the second control table stored, are suitable, namely from a variety of Druc core based on the document printing requirements that the Name of the specific document printing specifications as given by the end devices are outputted, and around those to be printed Documents that meet specific document printing specifications Registration in the print spooler of the print server are suitable in to the selected, desired printers via the print server to press.  

Another aspect of the performance of the present invention consists of a printing system that uses a network that comprises: end devices, which requirements for printing documents output, where each of the requirements is a designation of the Includes print specifications of the document; a variety of prints core that are connected to the end devices via the network to be shared; at least one print server running one first control table for monitoring the pressure states of the respective Printer and for storing the print status and the instal locations of the respective printer, and that with the Network is connected to printing the variety of printers to control; and a print manager connected to a second Control table, which contains the document printing specifications for the respective printers are stored, the device the Print managed to select the printers that are specific to Document printing specifications, which are saved in the second control table chert, are suitable, and that from a variety of printers based on the document printing requirements that the label the specific document printing specifications as determined by the end devices include, and around the documents to be printed te, which are transferred from the terminals in desired printers the selected printer via the print server according to the print and the locations of the printers installed in the first Control table of the print server are saved to print.

In the above-mentioned printing systems, the present invention has to the feature that the document printing specifications at least one Paper size, a type of a page description language and the poss duplex printing included. The present invention has also to the feature that the print management facility or  Print management server sends information that the selected Printer specifies, namely to the end device, which the document printing has issued the request. Similarly, the invention has for Feature that the print management facility or the print manager tion server is connected to the network. In addition, the Erfin to the feature that the printing status of each of the printers both an error condition of the corresponding printer and a shutdown state of the power supply of the corresponding printer contains. It also has the feature of the present invention that the Print status of each of the printers is an amount of data to be printed Contains document that remains in the corresponding printer. Furthermore, the present invention has the feature that the pressure server is equipped with a print spooler, in which the to printing documents are registered. Furthermore, the present Invention to the feature that the print management device or Print management server in a desired server the print server is installed. The present invention further has the feature that the print management device or the print management server in a desired end device of the end devices is installed. It is further a feature of the present invention that each of the terminals the print server about the detailed status of print jobs of the Print server asked about a command, the print server the Terminal sends a response that shows the detailed status of the printout displays slow.

According to the present invention, when a request for Print a document, which is the name of the document printing specifications, output, the printing system automatically select a printer that matches the specific document printing spec cations is suitable. The user of each end device (client or  Requester) can therefore be difficult to understand the specifications of the individual printer and selecting the appropriate printer on the Basis of the printer specifications are spared, so that the Opera bility of the printing system or its suitability for the user can be improved.

In addition, the management server for distributed printing chooses the ge suitable printers by not only checking the suitability of the print specification nen, but also the distances between the end device that the Has issued a print request and the printers to be selected and / or the number of waiting print jobs in each lumbar printers. So the printer can be selected which is closer to the user and which completes printing earlier gen without the knowledge of the user and his assessment is required. It is accordingly possible to reduce the convenience of the Printing system for the user to further improve and Improve throughput of the entire printing system.

The distributed print management server also selects the ge suitable printers and print servers by checking the error states of the choosing printers and print servers in addition to those mentioned above Selection conditions should be considered. So he can auto Select the printer and the print server which are normal are. As a result, the user may have trouble understanding the normal / abnormal states of the individual devices reliability, availability and printing Printing system set can be further improved.

Further advantages, features and possible uses of the present the invention result from the following description of  Embodiments in connection with the drawing. In the drawing show:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of the present invention showing the architecture of a system;

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing the architecture of a prior art system;

3 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of a client, a print server and a management server for distributed printing in the present invention.

Fig. 4 is a block diagram showing the hardware structure of a printer in the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a diagram for explaining the dynamic allocation of printers in the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a diagram for explaining the dynamic allocation of printers and print servers in the present invention;

Fig. 7 is a diagram for explaining a control procedure in the presence of any error in the dynamic allocation of printers and print servers in the present invention;

Fig. 8 is a diagram for explaining interfaces among the involved devices of the system in the present invention;

9 is a diagram for explaining a user interface in the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining a client interface in the present invention;

11 is a diagram for explaining a management interface for distributed printing in the present invention.

Fig. 12 is a diagram for explaining a printer access interface in the present invention;

Fig. 13 is a diagram for explaining a print request at the logical specification level in the present invention;

Fig. 14 is a diagram for explaining printing with an alternative printer or print server in the presence of any error in the present invention;

Fig. 15 is a diagram for explaining the processing steps of the printing system in the present invention;

Fig. 16 is a diagram for explaining the software structure of each client in the present invention;

17 is a diagram for explaining the software structure of the dung Ver waltungsservers for distributed printing in the present OF INVENTION.

Fig. 18 is a diagram for explaining the software structure of each print server in the present invention;

FIG. 19 is a diagram for explaining the software structure of each network printer (a printer that is connected directly to a network) in the present invention;

Fig. 20 is a diagram for explaining the software structure of each server printer (a printer directly connected to the print server) in the present invention;

Fig. 21 is a diagram showing the organization of a print job control table in the present invention;

Fig. 22 is a diagram showing the organization of a print control table in the present invention;

Fig. 23 is a diagram showing "printer specifications" included in the printer control table in the present invention;

Fig. 24 is a diagram showing the format of a "specification code" included in the printer specifications of the printer control table in the present invention;

Fig. 25 is a diagram showing a "printer busy state" included in the printer control table in the present invention;

Fig. 26 is a diagram showing the format of the "status of a sheet feeding or ejecting unit" included in the printer busy state of the printer control table in the present invention;

Fig. 27 is a diagram showing the format of a "resource status" included in the printer busy state of the printer control table in the present invention; and

Fig. 28 is a diagram for explaining how user interface commands client interface commands ver contact in the present invention.

The embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail. First, the architecture of a printing system in an embodiment of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. 1.

The printing system in this exemplary embodiment has terminals A. . . B (11,... And 12), such as workstations, personal computers and text processors (generically referred to below as "clients"), on which documents produce and issue requests to print the documents; a variety of printers A, B, C, D and E (16, 17, 18, 19 and 1A), each of which are clients A,. . . and B (11,... and 12) can be shared; and one or more print servers A and B (14 and 15) which function to control the printing operations of printers A, B and C. The clients A,. . . and B (11,... and 12) are connected to print servers A and B (14 and 15) via a network 10 , such as a LAN or WAN.

Each of printers A, B, C, D and E (16, 17, 18, 19 and IA) is with one of the print servers A or B (14 and 15) via one of the following Procedures connected to control through the connected print server get to be:

• - Directly connected to the local bus of the print server A or B (14 or 15) just like printer A (16) or B (17) or the printer C (18).
• - Directly connected to the network 10 as well as the printers D (19) or E (1A).

The present invention is to provide the distributed printing management function in which the plurality of shared printers A, B, C, D and E (16, 17, 18, 19 and 1A) and one or more print servers A and B (14 and 15) installed in the printing system can be managed so as to take full advantage of the printers and the print servers. A device referred to as a "distributed printing management server" (shown at 13 in Fig. 1) is installed to perform the distributed printing management function.

In particular, the network printers that are directly connected to network 10 as well as printers B (19) and E (1A) are not directly connected to any print server, and their associations with print servers A (14) and B (15) becomes arbitrary, so the distributed printing management function is important. For example, even if a particular printer or print server has shutdown or made any error, management by the distributed printing management server 13 allows printing to continue with another printer or print server. The error control function, as in this example, is a typical example of the effects of the distributed printing management function.

The distributed printing management server 13 monitors and stores information of each printer such as (1) the name of the printer, (2) the name of the corresponding print server, (3) the specifications of the printer, (4) the status of the printer, ( 5) a resource status; and (6) the name of a print job currently printing. If any of the clients A (11),. . . and B (12) requests the distributed printing management server 13 to print a document in a form including the designation of the document's printing specifications, the management server 13 selects the printer whose printer specifications are suitable for the document printing specifications based on the above storage, and the client that issued the request transfers the document to be printed to the selected printer.

In the illustrated embodiment, although the distributed printing management printer 13 is installed as a device separately from the print servers or clients, it may alternatively be installed on either of the print servers and clients. It is also possible to install the print server on any of the clients. In this case, the hardware cost of the printing system can be reduced.

In this embodiment, each of print servers A (14) and B is (15) equipped with a spooler.  

Because of the architecture shown in Fig. 1, the user of each client need not be familiar with the specifications of all printers included in the printing system, and it can be difficult for them to select a printer that has appropriate specifications for the specifications of one printing document, based on his knowledge.

Next, the hardware structures of the devices that make up the printing system will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4.

The clients A,. . . and B (11,... and 12), the print servers A and B (14 and 15) and the management printer 13 for distributed printing can adopt the same hardware structures. As illustrated in FIG. 3, the hardware structure includes an MPU (microprocessor unit) 300 , a system bus 301 , a ROM (read-only memory) 310 , a RAM (random access memory) 311 , a keyboard 321 , one Mouse 322 , a disk controller 331 , a disk 332 , a display controller 341 , a display unit 342 , a network controller 350, and a printer adapter 360 .

The system bus 301 transmits the various input / output signals (address signals, data signals and other control signals) of the MPU 300 .

The MPU (Central Processing Unit) 300 outputs signals from the keyboard 321, the plate 332, the display unit 342, the peripheral Vorrichtun gene, such as the network and the printers 16-1 A, and happen to SpeI as ROM 310 and RAM 311, via the system bus 301 and outputs signals to these devices.

The keyboard 321 is an input unit that is configured from a plurality of input keys and to which the mouse 322 , which is a type of pointing device, is connected. The plate 332, which is a secondary storage is connected to the system bus 301 through a secondary storage controller, such as the disk controller 331,-jointed, the display unit 342 is connected thereto via the display controller 341, and the printer 16 to 1 A are thereto via the printer adapter 360 connected. In addition, the system bus 301 of the printing system is connected to the network 10 , such as a LAN or WAN, via the network control device 350 .

Incidentally, in each of the devices such as the distributed printing management server 13 and the servers 14 and 15 that interact less frequently with the users of the printing system, a user operation panel (not shown) may also be constructed by using the keyboard 321 which Mouse 322 and a display unit 342 are simplified. In this case, the human-machine interface function of the device concerned deteriorates, but its cost can be reduced.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the hardware structure of each of printers A, B, C, D and E (16, 17, 18, 19 and 1A) will be described. The printer has an MPU bus 401 , a server interface unit 402 , an MPU 403 , a ROM 404 , a secondary memory 405 , a user control panel 407 , a sub-MPU 406 , a printer memory controller 409 , a RAM 40 A and a printing machine unit 408 . That part 40 C of the printer which is outside the printing press unit 408 is specifically to be called a "printer control device".

The MPU bus 401 transmits the various input / output signals (address signals, data signals and other control signals) of the MPU 403 .

The MPU 403 inputs the signals from the peripheral control devices 402 , 406 and 409 and the memories 404 , 405 and 40 A via the MPU bus 401 and outputs the signals there.

The server interface unit (hereinafter the word "interface" is abbreviated to "I / F") is a control device which causes the printer to communicate with the print server whose host device it is, and with an I / F 40 B, which is called "Server I / F". The physical I / F of the connection (the server I / F 40 B) to be used is made up of interfaces SCSI (Small Computer System Interface), RS-232C (Recommended Standard-232C), RS-422, GP- IB (General Purpose Interface Bus), Centronics, HDLC (High-Level Data Link Control), Ethernet, Token-Ring, FDDI (Fiber Distributed Data Interface) etc. selected. Furthermore, suitable logic is installed as the hardware logic of the control device 402 in accordance with the selected type of physical I / F. Specifically, in the case of the printer connected directly to the local bus of the print server A or B (14 or 15), such as the printer A or B (16 or 17) or the printer C (18), any of the interfaces SCSI, RS-232C, RS-422, GP-IB, Centronics, etc., the server I / F 40 B used as the physical I / F. On the other hand, in the case of the printer directly connected to the network 10 , such as the D or E printer (19 or 1A), any one of the interfaces Ethernet, Token-Ring, FDDI, HDLC, etc. is used.

The ROM 404 stores therein the initialization program (also called "IPL (Initial Program Loading -) - program") of the printer control device 40 C and parts of the character sets (z. B. character sets in certain sizes).

The RAM 40 A stores therein (a) the control program of the printer controller 40 C, (b) the remaining parts of the character sets (e.g. the character sets in other sizes), (c) the data of a command buffer, (d) the data a page buffer, (e) control tables such as a page buffer control table and a printer control table, etc. Under this information, the information (a) and (b) is stored in such a manner that it can be accessed by each of the print servers through the IPL Can be downloaded per gram. Alternatively, the information (a) and (b) can be just as stored in the ROM 404 without being stored in the RAM 40 A. In contrast, all fonts can be stored in RAM 40 A in the same way, without any fonts being stored in ROM 404 .

The sub-MPU 406 performs input / output processes between it and the user operation panel 407 and the press unit 408 according to the commands of the MPU 403 .

The printer memory controller 409 performs the process of loading the contents of the RAM 40 A (usually the page buffer) into the printing machine unit 408 and controlling (refreshing, etc.) a DRAM (dynamic RAM) in the event that the RAM 40 A is a DRAM. The loading process is carried out using a built-in DMA (direct memory access) function. At the time the stored data corresponding to a page or paper has been fetched from the page buffer, the printer memory controller 409 outputs an interrupt signal (one of the signals on the MPU bus 401 ) that is directed to the MPU 403 to start the interruption process of the MPU 403 based on the end of the page buffer fetch process.

In the printer control unit 40 C, the sub-MPU 406 communicates with the printer engine unit 408 via a signal line 400 C-1, and the printer memory controller 409 does this via a signal line 400 C-2, in accordance with an I / F which "printing machines -I / F "is called.

In a case where the press unit 408 is a shuttle printer, the printer memory controller 409 translates the form of the content of the page buffer and then transmits the resultant content to the press unit 408 via the signal line 400 C-2. On the other hand, in a case where the printing engine unit 408, a laser printer, the printer memory controller serializes 409 the contents of the page buffer (through parallel-serial conversion), and then transmits the resulting content to the print engine unit 408 through the signal line 400 C. -2.

In the case where the printing machine unit 408 is the shuttle printer, the signal line 400 C-1 is used to receive a signal indicating the head position of a page, etc. from this printing machine unit 408 . On the other hand, in the case where the printing machine unit 408 is the laser printer, the signal line 400 C-1 is used to transmit a command signal and status transmit / receive signals with which the sub-CPU 406 with a command for a request or label to the press unit 408 and receive status as a response from the press unit 408 , and is also used to transmit control signals that control the steps of the loading procedure of the content of the page buffer into the press unit 408 .

Now, the dynamic allocations of the printer and the print server in the printing system with reference to FIGS. 5 to 7 shall Darge. A case in which only one print server is installed and a case in which two or more print servers are installed will be explained separately.

(1) Case where only one print server A (14) is installed:

First, the general processing steps of the dynamic Allocation specified.

• (a) The client A (11) requests from the distributed printing management server 13 to send a document using a designated printer (s) or any of the printers A, B, D, E, F and G (16, 17, 19, 1A, 1B and 1C) to print.

The document has the print specifications, like one Color specification [e.g. B. monochrome / multicolor / full color], a Paper size, a dot density and the type of "PDL". The end druck PDL is the abbreviation for page description language (Page Description Language), examples of which are "PostScript" from Adobe Inc., "InterPress" from Xerox Inc. and "SPDL" from ISO (International Organization for Standardization) are that serve to perform high quality printing, as well "ESC / P" from Epson Inc. and "LIPS" from Canon Inc. are the are similar to conventional print commands.

• (b) A suitable printer is selected by the management server 13 for distributed printing.

The distributed printing management server 13 searches for the printer whose printer specifications are suitable for the requested document printing specifications. If the appropriate printer is available, the system searches for the highest priority. If the designated printer is in a fatal error condition (designated "Error Class 4") of e.g. B. is the failure of a printer control device, it should not be selected. In the event of an error (referred to as "Error Class 3 ") that can be removed by user intervention, a remedy in which the appropriate printer is selected and a remedy in which this printer is not selected are both possible, and the former is to be used here in this embodiment. The appropriate printer is determined considering (1) the distances (proximity) of the printers from the client A (11) and (2) the number of jobs waiting in the printers, in addition to the suitability decision conditions (evaluation information) above (* 1) can be selected.

• (c) The distributed printing management server 13 communicates with the client A (11).
  • (i) When the appropriate printer has been successfully selected, the name of the selected printer is reported from the distributed printing management server 13 to the client A (11).
  • (ii) If the choice of the suitable printer has failed, this fact is reported from the management server 13 for distributed printing to the client A (11).
• (d) The print job is in the print server A (14) by the Client A (11) registered.

Upon successful selection of the suitable printer ((i) in step (c)), the client A (11) registers the print job in the print server A (14). That is, the print job corresponding to the specific document is registered in a print queue stored in the print server A (14) according to the selected printer reported by the distributed printing management server 13 .

In the above flow of processing steps it is assumed that only a print queue is scheduled for each of the printers.

Next, examples of the processing steps will be explained with reference to FIG. 5.

[Example 1]

• (a) The client A (11) requests the distributed printing management server 13 , Document No. 1 (color specification: monochrome, paper size: A4, dot density: 400 dpi (dots per inch) or above) by using the printer A. (16) to print.
• (b) The distributed printing management server 13 checks the suitability of the printer and selects the appropriate printer.
  • (i) The distributed printing management server 13 checks whether the printer specifications of printer A (16) match the printing specifications required by document # 1.
  • (ii) Since printer A (16) is suitable, it is selected as the printer for document No. 1.
• (c) The distributed printing management server 13 reports to the client A (11) that the printer A (16) has been successfully selected.
• (d) the print job is in the print server A (14) by the Client A (11) registered. That is, document # 1 is adopted the print queue for printer A (16) is attached as is is stored in the print server A (14).

Example 2

• (a) The client A (11) requests the distributed printing management server 13 to print document # 2 (color specification: monochrome, paper size: A3, dot density: 400 dpi or above) by using the printer A (16). The same also applies to a case where no specified printer is designated.
• (b) The distributed printing management server 13 checks the suitability of the printer and selects the appropriate printer.
  • (i) The distributed printing management server 13 checks whether the print specifications of printer A (16) match the print specifications required by document No. 2.
  • (ii) Since printer A (16) is not suitable, any suitable printer is searched for. The content shown at the * 1 symbol above is also taken into account in the search. It turns out that the printer D (19) z. B. is selected as the printer for document # 2.
• (c) The distributed printing management server 13 reports to client A (11) that since printer A (16) is not suitable, printer D (19) has been selected.
• (d) The print job is executed by client A (11) in the print Server A (14) registered. That is, document # 2 will attached to the print queue for printer D (19), as stored in print server A (14).

Example 3

• (a) The client A (11) requests from the distributed printing management server 13 to print document No. 3 (color specification: full color, paper size: A4). No specified printer is identified.
• (b) The distributed printing management server 13 checks the suitability of the printers and selects the appropriate printer.
  • (i) The distributed printing management server 13 searches for any printer suitable for the printing specifications required for document # 3. The content indicated by the * 1 symbol above is also taken into account in the search.
• It turns out that the printer F (1B), for example, as the printer is selected for document # 3.
• (c) The distributed printing management server 13 reports to the client A (11) that the printer F (1B) has been selected.
• (d) The print job is executed by client A (11) in the print Server A (14) registered. That is, Document No. 3 will attached to the print queue for printer F (1B), as stored in print server A (14).
• (2) Case where at least two print servers A (14) and B (15) are installed:

Next, those processes for dynamic allocation of Printers and print servers that describe the topic (i) in the presence of the larger number of print servers as above mentioned in the description of the prior art, concern, and although as the individual cases of a normal state that is not an error and an abnormal condition that contains any error. Again, it is assumed that there is only one print queue for each the printer is attached.

[Normal condition with no errors]

The following steps have been implemented in a printing system as shown in FIG. 6:

• (a) Client A (11) requests distributed printing management server 13 to obtain a document (containing print specifications) by using a designated printer (s) or any of printers A, B, C, D, E, F and G (16, 17, 18, 19, 1A, 1B and 1C) to print.
• (b) The distributed printing management server 13 selects any suitable printer and print server (which is searched in such a way that a dyadic combination consisting of the printer and the print server is set as a variable ).
  • (i) The distributed printing management server 13 polls the print servers A (14) and B (15) and does the following:
    • The management server 13 searches for any printer that has printer specifications that are suitable for the print specifications required for the document.
    • If the designated printer is available, the system searches for the highest priority.
    • If any print server or printer is in the fatal error state (referred to as "error class 4") of e.g. B. is the error of a printer control device, it should not be selected. In the event of an error (referred to as "error class 3") which can be remedied by the user's intervention, both a remedy in which the corresponding printer is selected and a remedy in which it is not selected are possible, and the latter is supposed to be adopted here in this embodiment.
  • (ii) In a case where a plurality of printers satisfying the conditions exist in the printer search for each of the print servers A (14) and B (15), one of the printers is selected, but not only the evaluation specification (1) of the conditions of suitability, but also the evaluation specification (2) the distances of the plurality of printers from the client concerned and (3) the number of jobs waiting in the plurality of printers become. The multidimensional evaluation, which is based on the evaluation information (1) to (3), is made one-dimensional by a weighted sum.
  • (iii) Even if a printer has been selected as a candidate printer by the print servers through sub-step (i) or sub-steps (i) and (ii), the printer search for another printer continues, thereby causing any Printers with even better evaluation can sometimes be selected. With regard to such a printer search at a lower level, a necessary level is installed in the manufacture of the printing system.
  • (iv) If the appropriate printer has been successfully selected in the above manner, it should be called the "selected printer" and the appropriate print server associated with and managing the selected printer should be the "selected printer". Server ".
• (c) The distributed printing management server 13 communicates with the client A (11).
  • (i) When the appropriate printer has been successfully selected in step (b), the name of the selected printer and the name of the selected print server are reported from the distributed printing management server 13 to the client A (11).
  • (ii) If the selection of the appropriate printer has failed, this fact is similarly reported from the management server 13 for distributed printing to the client A (11).
• d) The print job is registered by the client A (11) in the selected print server.
  Upon successful selection of the suitable printer ((i) in step (c)), client A (11) registers the print job in the selected print server. That is, the print job corresponding to the client A's print document (11) is registered in a queue stored in the selected print server corresponding to the selected printer.
  Incidentally, even with a measure in which two or more print queues are scheduled for each printer, the printing system can be operated by applying the above processing steps in a similar manner. However, this measure entails disadvantages such as (1) it is difficult to print documents while the acceptance sequence of print jobs is held, and (2) the management of the system operation becomes complicated. It is therefore not recommended to use this measure for ordinary printing systems.
• (e) Document data making up the print job is sent to the transfer selected printer.

In the printing system of this embodiment, the following are two transmission methods are used

[Procedure No. 1]

When registering the print job in the print queue in step (d) mentioned above, the document data are transmitted from the client in question to the spooler (see FIG. 1) of the selected print server. When it is the print job's turn to be printed by the selected printer, the document data stored in the spooler is read out and transmitted to the selected printer.

[Procedure No. 2]

When registering the print job in the waiting room queue in step (d) mentioned above, the client in question registers only the name of the print job in the selected print server, without transferring the document data representing the print job. When it is your turn to print through the selected one Printers to be printed are the document data that are used for printing  display order from the client concerned directly to the selected one transfer the printer.

Each of the clients can use both or one of the methods No. 1 and No. 2 accept. If both procedures are accepted, it is Printing system or allows the user to select one from the inside len. In a case where the client has an operating system out of the ordinary Single task type, as used in a personal computer, is the Use of method # 1 desirable. On the other Side is in a case where the client has an operating system of multiple task type (multitask type), such as in the workstation or on step-by-step personal computer, uses the Ver driving No. 2 desirable because the document data at once over can be worn. With method number 1, the number of Transfers two.

In the case of using method No. 2, if the Client concerned a request to switch off the power supply care before transferring the document data to the selected one Printer has made the transfer immediately at the time of Requirement is executed and the client's care is then followed switched off.

Different algorithms can be used to select the appropriate printer kers in the above dynamic allocations of the printer and the Print servers should be considered and they have great influence to improve the convenience or convenience of the Printing system for users.  

Accordingly, any algorithm that is preferred by users is suitably adapted to any specified printing system become.

[Abnormal condition containing any error]

The following steps have been implemented in a printing system as shown in FIG. 7:

• (a) Client A (11) intended to print job # 1 by using printer D (19). However is there any fatal error in printer D (19), and this fact is transferred from printer D (19) to the printing Server A (14) reports.
• (b) The fact of the existence of the fatal error is subsequently reported from the print server A (14) to the management server 13 for distributed printing.
• (c) The distributed printing management server 13 selects the printer E (1A) as a printer suitable for the print job No. 1.
• (d) Under the control of the distributed printing management server 13 , the print job No. 1 is queued for the printer E (1A), and this fact is reported to the client A (11).

Incidentally, it is possible to make dynamic allocations of Reliable printers and print servers compliant with the requirements levels of the printing system. The following are specific  alternating functions applied sequentially when the requirement levels of reliability are higher:

• - Requirement reliability level # 1: change the printer
• - Requirement reliability level # 2: change printer and print server
• - Requirement reliability level No. 3: change of printer, Print server and management server for distributed printing.

Due to the installation of dynamic allocations in the normal Zu stand and in the abnormal state, as explained above, can follow the effects are achieved:

• (i) The distributed printing management server 13 , which "understands" the layout of the printers and print servers belonging to the network, accepts a print request made by any of the clients and selects the appropriate one Printer and print server, which increases the performance of the printing system.
• (ii) If any of the printers or print servers are turned off printing or is in an error state, printing with an alternative printer or an alternative printing Server continued, reducing the reliability of the printing system is improved.
• (iii) Transparent high-level interfaces, described below with reference to Figures 8 to 12, are offered, relieving the users and application programs of providing a large number of cumbersome instructions and commands that affect printers, printing Server and spooler concern. It is therefore possible to improve the degree to which the application programs are independent of the control of the printer, print server and spooler.

The specifications of the interfaces among the devices involved in the printing system will now be described with reference to FIGS. 8 to 12. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 8, a user interface 851 , a client interface 852 , a management interface 853 for distributed printing, and a printer access interface 854 for a client 810 , a management server 820 for distributed printing, a print server 830, and a printer 840 prepared, which are the devices involved. Incidentally, the respective interfaces 851 to 854 correspond to a part 1601 , a part 1602 , a part 1701 and parts 1801 , 1901 and 2001 in the software structures of the devices involved, as described later with reference to FIGS. 16 to 20 will be.

Figures 9 through 12 provide a list of individual practical commands that form the user I / F 851 , the client I / F 852 , the management I / F 853 for distributed printing, and the printer access I / F 854, respectively . Here, an expression "lpd" in a "Command origin" column indicates that the command in question belongs to the line printer spooler of the operating system "UNIX4.3BSD", whereas an expression "Administrative extension" in the same column indicates that the command in question is specifically for the printing system of this embodiment was prepared and installed therein, regardless of the "lpd" protocol. The content of the "lpd" protocol is specified in "Request for Comments 1179" and "UNIX NETWORK PROGRAMMING, Chapter 13".

Since the client I / F commands, the management I / F commands for distributed printing, and the printer access I / F commands listed in Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are used as functions of programs can, they should also be called the "Client I / F functions", "Administrative I / F functions for distributed printing" and "Printer access I / F functions".

In addition, an expression signals "ordinary user" in one Column "user" that the command in question from the ordinary Can be used by users who have no privilege regarding the Operations and management of the printing system of this execution example, whereas an expression "system administrator" in the same column signals that the command in question is from special Users with the privilege can be used, e.g. B. parent Users (superusers) in the UNIX operating system.

Among the user I / F commands listed in Figure 9, usr_lpq, usr_lprm, usr_lpc, and usr_pac, which are supported by the "lpd" protocol, have previously known specifications. That is, the specifications of these commands are the same as those of the lpq, lprm, lpc, and pac commands, respectively, on pages 367 to 379 of "Hitachi CSMA / CD Network 105 (TCP / IP)" (Manual No. 3050-3 -200-30), which is a technical manual for "Hitachi Creative Workstation 3050" (manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd.).

The specifications of the commands that are extended for management are as follows:

(1) Submit request to print at logical specification level:

Format: usr_lpr [-P printer] [- # number] [-C class] [-J order] [-T Title] [-i [numcols]] [-w number] [-m] [-pv] [-lrhs] [name. . . ] [-d doc menttype] [-L orientation] [-F form size] [-S page] [-c zoom] [-r Resolution] [-o parameter list] [-f profile].

Features or function: This command instructs the client print a file at a logical specification level. The that is, it instructs the client to select a printer to use for the Printing specifications, which are marked with "d", "L", "F", "S", "c", "r", "o" and "f", which are mentioned below as input arguments, and the file using the selected printer to press. If a file name is not specified, a default should be used an object to be printed. The -P option becomes Identify the priority level printer used.

Input arguments:
-P argument to designate the first priority level printer requested to print the object. When designating the printer, a printer name is written after -P.
- # argument to designate the number of copies to be printed. When designating the number of copies to be printed, this is written behind - #.
-C argument for designating the application class of a start page or cover page. When designating the order class, it is written after -C.
-J argument to designate the cover page job name (an initial name is the file name). When designating the order name, it is written after -J.
-T Denotes a title for use in "pr" (this argument -T is used together with the -P argument). When designating the title, it is written after -T.
-i [numcols]
Indent printing. If this argument is a number, spaces in a specified number are placed on the leading part of each line when printing. Otherwise, an empty space corresponding to 8 characters should be set.
-w Specifies the number of characters in a line.
-m Informs the user of the results of printing when it is completed by an email message. The mail message is also used to inform the user of an error control, in the case where "rs" has been set in the "etc / printcap" file of a machine to which the printer is connected.
-pv argument in the case of printing using different filters. The letters and the filters correspond as follows
-p Format with the "pr" command.
-v Use the filter labeled "vf" in the "printcap" file.
-lrhs
Suppress a page break by using a filter that recognizes a control character (failure to supply the argument [-C] to the filter).
-r Delete the file after the transfer to the print server has been completed or after the output to a local printer has been completed.
-h Suppress cover page output.
-s If this argument is given when printing a file that is too large to be "spooled" (larger than "mx" of the "printcap" file), the file is split and then spooled.
Name Identifies the file to be printed. If the file name is not specified, the standard input will be the object to be printed.
-d Identifies the type of PDL (page description language) of a document with the value of an argument "document type". The values of this argument express the following PDLs:
0: LIPS H, 1: LIPS I, 2: LIPS II, 3: LIPS III, 4: ESC / P, 5: ESC / PAGE, 6: PostScript Level-1, 7: PostScript Level-2, 8: PC- PR201, 99: Optional.
-L Denotes the print orientation (portrait or landscape) of the document with the value of an argument "orientation" as follows:
0: high, 1: landscape, 9: optional.
-F Specifies a paper page size or size with the value of a "form size" argument. The values of this argument express the following sheet sizes:
0: A3, 1: A4, 2: A5, 3: A6, 4: B4, 5: B5, 6: B6, 7: letter, 8: private, 9: mini, 10: official, 99: optional.
-S Designates single-sided / double-sided printing according to the value of an argument "page" as follows:
0: Single-sided printing, 1: Double-sided printing, 9: Optional.
-c Denotes an enlargement / reduction ratio according to the value of an argument "zoom" (%). The "zoom" value 9999 means an optional enlargement / reduction ratio, whereas the "zoom" value 9998 means an automatic enlargement / reduction. The automatic enlargement / reduction signals here that a paper page size, which is designated with a PDL command, which is contained in the print file, is increased / reduced to the paper page size, which is designated with the “-F” option, by the respective printer.
-r Identifies the dot density of the printer in question with the value of an argument "resolution". The values of this argument express the following point densities:
0: 180 dpi (dots per inch), 1: 240 dpi, 2: 300 dpi, 3: 400 dpi, 4: 480 dpi, 5: 600 dpi, 6: 800 dpi, 99: Optional.
-o Designates a change to a profile by using an option list in the following format:

[[Parameter name = value] [, parameter name = value]]

-f profile: Designates the profile to be used, printed out in a full path name. It is assumed that the default profile "dfpacfile" is in the user's home directory. Incidentally, the "profile" is the combination of each argument of each command and its set value.
Return value of the device (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end

Notabilia

• - Sometimes when a large file is to be spooled Failure that it is not fully spooled. In one case, where any user other than a "parent user" a file under the "lock" state of a spool queue has issued, this command shows a message to that effect and prevents a corresponding order from entering the Queue is entered. Also shows in one case where no connection with the "lpd" protocol of a local Machine can be made, specifying "lpr" a message which means that a daemon will not start.
• - The page width specified by the argument "-b" is not valid for a cover page. The width of the cover sheet is changed with the specification "pw" of the file "printcap".  
• - If the argument "-s" has been specified, a file can cannot be edited or deleted until the end of printing.

(2) Inquiries about the detailed status of a print job

Format: usr_jobq [-P printer] [job no. . . . ] [Surname]

Features: The user asks for a transfer target Print server due to a print job on the detailed status of the Print job by a printer name and by an on contract number is specified in order to display this detailed status. The order number, the user name, the print file name, the job status, error type, printing error code and printer Error code # 1 and printer error code # 2 of the specific job are displayed.

If there is a "no paper" error regarding the particular one Order is also shown a code about the designated sheet size. In the presence of any correctable error affecting the operation a reprint, like a paper jam, shows a page which is subject to the error.

Incidentally, the expressions [order no. . . . ] and [name. . . ] when Input arguments that "order no." to display the order number names and "Name" to display the user names in sequence any number you want in any order you want can be.  

In a case where the job number or the printer name is inappropriate and where there is no corresponding order, only the contractors indicated. In addition, the order number and the user make names distinguishable by applying rules.

Input arguments

-P Identifies the printer name with an argument "printer".

Order number.

Denotes the order number with the argument "order No.".

Name Identifies the user name with the argument "Name".

Display content

Regarding the print job by the printer name and the Order number is specified, the order number, the user zername, the print file name, the job status, the error type, the Printer error code # 1 and printer error code # 2 are displayed.

One of (a) the occurrence of a correctable error, (b) a "hold" state, (c) waiting for the unoccupied Printer and (d) currently printing are displayed as the job status. With this information, the "hold" state (b) signals the order status generated by a user I / F command "usr_hold" or a client I / F function "cl_hold" for holding / releasing a print job output can be moved as will be described later.  

In addition, one of (a) "no error", (b) any recoverable error that does not require a reprint operation, (c) any recoverable error that requires a reprint operation, and (d) any nonrecoverable error than that Error type displayed. A representative example of the indication (b) is the error "no paper", one for the indication (c) is the error of a paper jam or the error "printer cover open", and one for the indication (d) is the failure of the printing press unit ( 408 in Fig. 4) or the printer control device ( 40 C).

Both printer error codes # 1 and # 2 are combined to describe the detailed code of the error detected by the printer driver ( 1814 in Figure 18) of the print server ( 14 or 15 in Figure 1). For example, the respective printer error codes No. 1 and No. 2 may well correspond to an error code and an error detail code given in "Printer Driver Programmers'Guide" (Manual No. 3050-3-026-30), which is a technical manual for "Hitachi Creative Workstation 3050" (manufactured by Hitachi, Ltd.). The error code and the error detail code are given in section 2.1.3 "Error Code" of this manual.

The "designated paper size" code indicates the paper size that the Refill user if there is a "no paper" error. The display of the page that is currently affected by an error shows the page serial number of the page (which indicates the correctable error which requires an operation of a reprint), such as it is counted from the beginning of the specific print job. Concerning When the page affected by the error is displayed, reference is made taken on Japanese Patent Applications No. 295065/1989 and No. 326808/1993 (filed by Hitachi, Ltd.).

Return value of the facility (rtu_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end.

Notabilia

• - It is desirable for traffic control to use this command output usr_jobq only in a case where the specification "lpr" has been designated in a mail mode and where the capture an error has been indicated by a mail message.
• - In a case where the mail mode is not specified with "lpr" can be used, it is desirable to use this command to output usr_jobq in a polling manner, whereby the detailed information of the print job is monitored.

(3) Controlling a remote order issue

Format: usr_rlpc [access word] [command [argument. . . ]].

Features: A special user working in the print server is registered controls a line printer daemon in the print server. This command controls the following information of a remote printer (Re mote Printer) through the use of printer information contained in the File called "/ etc / printcap", which is a file for Define the printer design of each computer (client or Server) in the "lpd" protocol is:

• - Ability / Inability to output to the remote printer.
• - Ability / inability to accept a print request.  
• - Start / stop of a spool daemon.
• - Change the sequence of jobs in a spool queue.
• - View the status of the remote printer and the relationship between the spool queue and the printer daemon.

Input arguments

With input arguments are an access word and subcommands that to be explained below. In a case where no Argument is indicated, a ready message "lpc <" is displayed, and waiting for subcommand entry. On this occasion the subcommand can be from the file by redirecting a standard gift will be loaded.

Access word: It is designated with the argument "access word".

Subcommands: They are called as follows:

? [Command. . . .]
Help [command. . . ].

The performance of any designated subcommand or all subcommands are displayed.

In the event of displaying the features of all subcommands no subcommand designated.

Abort (abort) {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand blocks the output to the designated printer and the acceptance of the print request by this printer and them stops the spool daemon. It also clears the spool queue of the designated printer. The name of the printer or printers contains a single printer name based on the printer's name mens and an all-printer label based on the indication "all".

Clear (all) printers. . . }.

The files "cf", "tf" and "df" (remark no. 1), which are in the spool war Queues of the designated printer are included as well deleted. The name of the printer contains a single printer inheritance drawing based on the printer name and an all-printer Label based on the specification "all".

(Note No. 1) Concerning the "cf" file, the "tf" file and the "df" file is referenced to the notabilia, which will be given later.

Lock {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand blocks the acceptance of the print request by the designated printer. This means that every new order cannot be spooled even if a print request command is issued. This Subcommand is useful when testing a new filter. It is also effective when printing requests are prevented from doing so should, for a long time during z. B. accepted the failure of the printer to become. The name of the printer contains a single printer inheritance drawing based on the printer name and an all-printer Label based on the specification "all".

OFF (down) {all | printers. . . } Message.

This subcommand blocks the output to the designated printer and the acceptance of the print job by this printer and it keeps the spool daemon. When this subcommand is executed, a message to the printer expressing the status of the printer status file output. The name of the printer contains a Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".

Enable (all | printers). . . }.

This subcommand indicates the acceptance of the print request by the designated printer free. Thus, the new order can with the Print request command can be spooled. The name of the printer contains a single printer name based on the printer name and an all printer label based on the phrase "all".

Exit
Quit

The subcommand input state of the "usr_-lpc" command has ended.

Restart {all | printers. . . }.

The spool daemon of the designated printer is started. This Subcommand is used in a case where an order is still in the Spool queue remains if the spool daemon is due to a Abnormality has been interrupted.

Start {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand enables printing to the printer in question and starts the spool daemon. The name of the printer contains Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".

Status [printer].

This subcommand shows the states of the spool daemon and the spool Queue of the designated printer. The printer will only identified by individual name based on the printer name net. This label can be omitted, and it will all Printer designated by the omission.

Stop {all | printers. . . }.

After the current job of the designated printer is completed output to the printer is blocked and the spool Daemon is stopped. This subcommand is for the maintenance of the printer kers, etc. effective. Even while the printer is stopped, it can a print request can be accepted. The name of the Printer contains single printer name based on the printer core name and an all-printer label based on the Specification "all".

Tip [order number. . . ] [User. . . ].

This subcommand changes the sequence of jobs in the spool Queue of the printer in question. The one in question becomes concrete Job placed at the top of the spool queue.

ON (up) {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand gives the output to the designated printer and free acceptance of the print request by this printer and he starts the spool daemon. The designation of the printer contains single printer name based on the printer name and an all- Printer name based on the specification "all".

Notabilia

- Any of the three files "cf", "df" and "tf" is provided with the specification "sd" of the file "/ etc / printcap" is called and is in a spool Directory created. The meaning of each file is like follows:

"cf" Abbreviation for "control file". The "cf" files are generated in the number of spooled files. Various details of tax information to be supplied to the filter are entered.
"df" Abbreviation for "data file". It means the data to be printed.
"tf" Abbreviation for "temporary file". This file is temporarily created when the control file and the data file are created.

Although not mentioned in Figure 9, the following user I / F commands are also supported:

• - Search for printers suitable for specified specifications
• -Hold / release a print job output
• - troubleshooting
• - Search for candidates for alternative printers
• - refer back to the expiry of previous print jobs of each one User
• - View a printer configuration
• - Requests about printer specifications.

The specifications of each command are given below.

(4) Search for printers that are suitable for designated specifications are

Format: usr_lgc [-P printer] [-d document type] [-L orientation] [-F Form Size] [-S Page] [-c Zoom] [-r Resolution].

Features: This command displays the list of printers that are suitable for print specifications that are defined with input parameters records, and it stores information about these printers, such as current conditions, together with the designated print specification. The saved print specifications should "current print specifications nen ". The -P option is used to identify the printer the first priority level. In a case where the Druc Ker of the first priority level is not suitable for the print specifications is not selected.  

Input arguments

-P argument to designate the first priority level printer requested to print a particular document. When designating the printer, a printer name is written after -P.
-d Identifies the type of PDL of the document with the value of an argument "document type". The values of this argument are the same as in the case of the usr lpr command.
-L Denotes the print orientation (portrait or landscape) of the document with the value of an argument "orientation". The values of this argument are the same as in the case of the usr_lpr command.
-F Specifies a paper sheet size or size with the value of a "form size" argument. The values of this argument are the same as in the case of the usr_lpr command.
-S Designates single-sided / double-sided printing according to the value of an argument "page". The values of this argument are the same as in the case of the usr_lpr command.
-c Denotes an enlargement / reduction ratio according to the value of an argument "zoom" (%). The values of this argument are the same as in the case of the usr_lpr command.
-r Identifies the dot density of the printer in question with the value of an argument "resolution". The values of this argument are the same as in the case of the usr_lpr command.

Display content

Regarding each printer to which the name of the input arguments the following are displayed: (a) the name of the printer in question, (b) the name of the associated print server, (c) its installation location, (d) its removal from the affected client and (e) the amount of the print jobs waiting in it.

Return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end

(5) Hold / release a print job output

Format: usr_hold [-P printer] [job no.] [-I input flag]

Features: One by a printer name ("Printer") and an order number ("Order No.") specified print order is in offset an output hold state or from the output hold state released according to an input flag ("input flag"). If the client is commanded to put the print job on hold despite the already set hold state, it holds the hold state without to respond to the command. On the other hand, if the Client is commanded to stay on hold despite not being set up release the hold state, the original state, without the Command to respond.  

When the client is instructed, the print job is put on hold of anything other than the state of waiting for the Printer is free to push, it keeps the original condition without to respond to the command.

This "usr_hold" command is only valid if issued by any of three types of users, as shown below. If this command issued by any other user execution is refused.

• (i) The user who placed the order, that of order issued to this client.
• (ii) The parent user of the client who issued the job ben has.
• (iii) The parent user of the print server in which the On is lying.

Input arguments

-P Identifies the printer name with the argument "printer".

Order number.

Denotes the order number with the argument "order number".

Input flag

Input flag for designating the shift in the output content status and the release of this condition as follows:

Input flag =
0: Designates a shift to the output hold state
1: Be 98455 00070 552 001000280000000200012000285919834400040 0002004422619 00004 98336 indicates the release from the spending status.
Return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end.

(6) Error recovery

Format: usr_rcvry [-P defective printer] [job no.] [-M mode] [-s start mode] [-n no start] [-p alternative_printer].

Features: The client is ordered to do a print job to be re-submitted by a printer name ("faulty printer") and an order number ("Order No.") is specified, namely according to input parameters.

Each of the following corrective printing operations is performed according to the value of a "mode" argument:

• - RETRY: reprint, where the identical print ker is used to restore after an error or failure has been asked.
• - ALTERNATIVE: reprint using an alternative printer is used.

In the case where the argument "mode" is RETRY, reprinting according to the value of a "start mode" argument such as executed as follows:

• - START: reprint from the beginning of the specified job.
• - CONTINUE: Reprint from one side with an error event nis (or an error that is occurring).
• - PAGE: reprint a labeled page.

In the case where the argument "start mode" is PAGE, the Reprint home page labeled with a "-n" option. With these gels even if the name of the alternate printer begins with a Argument "-p" has been designated, the label ignored.

In the case where the argument "mode" is ALTERNATIVE, alternative printing through the use of the printer ("alternati ver_printer "), the name of which is denoted by the argument" -P " has been net.

Input arguments

-P Identifies the printer name with the argument "faulty printer".
Order number. Denotes the order number with the argument "order number".
-m Designates the restored print mode as one of "Try again" and "Alternative" with the argument "Mode".
-s Denotes the mode of reprinting using the identical printer that was recovered from the failure or failure as one of "START", "CONTINUE" and "PAGE" with the argument "start mode".
-n Identifies the reprint start page with the argument "start number" in the restored printing operation, which is denoted by "REVIEW" and "PAGE".
-p Specifies the name of the alternative printer with the argument "alternative_printer" in the case where the argument "mode" is "ALTERNATIVE".

(7) Search for candidates for alternative printers

Format: usr_altprn_disp [-P printer] [order no.]

Features: To get one by a printer name ("printer") and a job number ("Job No.") designated print job print, this command displays the list of printers that have an alternate ves can perform printing.

Also, in the case where printing has been in progress is by the print request command at the logical specification level or the printer search command was used according to specification suitability, the printers in the normal states required for the print specifications of the particular print job are sought, and their informa  tion is displayed according to this search command "usr_alt_disp". Concrete the current print specifications of the designated order from derived from a "client job table" included in each client, and the list of printers that are derived for the current print specifications are appropriate, is maintained and displayed.

In the case where the print command is based on the printer against the name of the print specification ben, the printers are searched for with their normal status, and theirs Information is displayed.

Input arguments

-P Identifies the printer name with the argument "printer".
Order number. Denotes the order number with the argument "order number".

Display content

For each suitable printer, the following are displayed: (a) the name of the printer concerned, (b) the name of the associated print server, (c) its installation location, (d) its distance from the client concerned and (e) the amount of print jobs waiting in it.
Return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end.

(8) Reference to the expiration of each individual's previous print jobs User

Format: usr_jobhst.

Features: This command shows the historical listing of the Print jobs from the user who issued them.

If one or more retry operations have been done, only the information about the last retry operation is returned.

Here the "retry" signals that the reprint is on the ground location of the same printer by an error or failure like which has been made using the debugger command or feature is executed.

Only information about the printer to which it relates The client that issued this command can be accessed can be returned.

Input arguments

No

Display content

For all orders that have been issued by the user, the following information is displayed:

• - Order number
• - Order registration (submission) time
• - Name of the printer that corresponds to a job
• - Print start time  
• - Printing end time
• - Printing end code
• - Number of retry operations.

Return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end.

(9) View the printer configuration

Format: usr_prnconfg_disp

Features: This command shows the configurations of the printing Server and the printer that the printing system according to the present Form invention.

Input arguments

No

Display content

The configurations of the print server and the printer that the print system form stem are displayed. Specifically, print servers No. 1 to No. n, which are the names of the respective print servers, and the Names of the printers controlled by these print servers, displayed. For example, the printer names No. 1,1,. . . and no. 1, i appears to show the printers that ver bound, whose name is No. 1, and it becomes the printer name No. n, 1. . . . and numbers n, j are displayed to indicate the printers with  connected to the print server, whose name is No. n. Such one Display example is as follows:

Print server name number 1
Printer name No. 1.1
:
Printer name No. 1, i
:
:
Print server name No.
Printer name number n, 1
:
Printer name No. n, j

Return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end.

(10) Requests for printer specifications

Format: usr_prnspc_qry [-P printer]

Features: This command shows the specifications of any one designated printer ("Printer").

Input argument

-P Designates the name of the printer in question with the Argu ment "printer".  

Display content

The following information is considered the specification of the indicated printer:

• - printer type
• - Set (resolution 1,... And resolution i) of point densities offered
• - printing speeds
• - Possibility of duplex (double-sided) printing
• - Color printing specification
• - Set (PDL1,... And PDLj) of offered PDLs
• - Set of paper sheets (paper size 1,... And paper size k) offered sizes
• - Set (Form 1,... And Form 1) of forms offered
• - Set (Zoom 1,... And Zoom n) offered enlargement / ver reduction ratios.

Return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1: Abnormal end.

Among the client I / F functions listed in FIG. 10, "cl_lpq", "cl_lprm", "cl_lpc" and "cl_pac", which are supported by the "lpd" protocol, their specifications should meet the specifications of the respective user I / F commands "usr_lpq", "usr_lprm" correspond to "usr_lac" and "usr_pac".

The specifications of the respective commands are in the technical "Hitachi CSMA / CD Network 105 (TCP / IP)" manual as mentioned above specified.  

Among the client I / F functions, the function "cl_lpr", which is expanded within the scope of the "lpd" protocol, and the functions that are expanded for administration have the following specifications:
[8th*]

(1) Submit the print job

Format: int cl_lpr [printer, number, class, job, title, indent, page width, mail, pv; lrhs, number, name, document type, orientation, form size, page, zoom, resolution, output string]
Features: The client is ordered to submit a print job. Print specifications can also be labeled with option parameters. In a case where a designated printer is included among printers that meet the current printing specifications, the current printing specifications are registered in the "client job table" mentioned above. On the other hand, in a case where the designated printer is not included among such printers, the registration is not carried out. In this case, when the print search command for an alternative candidate or the function is issued, all the printers in the normal state become candidates.

Input arguments

chr * printer argument to identify the name of the printer requested to print a document.
unsigned
int number argument to designate the number of copies to print.
chr * class argument for designating the order class of a cover page.
chr * job argument to designate a job name to be printed on the cover sheet (the initial value of this argument is a print file name):
chr * Title Denotes a title for use in "pr".
unsigned
int indent indent printing. A number of spaces should be placed at the beginning of each line when printing. Otherwise, an empty space corresponding to 8 characters should be set.
unsigned
int
Page width Indicates the number of characters in a line.
chr Mail If this argument is not null, it informs the user of the results of the print when it is completed via a mail message. The mail message is also used to inform the user of an error control in the case where "rs" has been set in the file "/ etc / printcap" of a machine to which the printer is connected.
int pv argument for the case of printing using different filters. The flags of this argument correspond to the filters as follows:
PR_FILTER Format with the "pr" command.
VF_FILTER Use the filter identified by "vf" of the "printcap" file.
int lrhs operation according to the flags as follows:
L_FLAG Suppress a page break when using a filter that recognizes a control character (whereby the argument "class" is not supplied to the filter).
R_FLAG Delete the file after the transfer to a print server has been completed or after the output to a local printer has been completed.
H_FLAG Suppress the output of the cover page (first page).
S_FLAG If this argument is given in the case of printing a file that is too long to be spooled (larger than "mx" of the file "printcap"), the file is split and then spooled.
int count Indicates the count of files to be printed.
int ** Name Denotes the chain of names of files to be printed.
chr Document type Designates the type of PDL of the document with the value of an argument "document type".
int Orientation Designates the print orientation (portrait or landscape) of the document with the value of an argument "Orientation".
int form size Specifies a paper sheet size or format with the value of a "form size" argument.
int page Designates single-sided / double-sided printing according to the value of an argument "page".
int Zoom Indicates an enlargement / reduction ratio according to the value of an argument "zoom" (%). The "zoom" value 9999 signals an optional enlargement / reduction ratio, whereas the "zoom" value 9998 signals an automatic enlargement / reduction.
int resolution Indicates the dot density of the printer in question with the value of an argument "resolution".
Output argument:
chr ** From output string Expresses the output of this function according to the display content.

Function return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1 or higher: Abnormal end.

Notabilia

• - Sometimes when a large file is to be spooled to fail to spool them completely. In one case, at which any user other than a "parent user" a file under the "lock" state of a spool queue output, this function passes "int cl_lpr" a message this effect and it prevents a corresponding on is queued. Also shows in a case where no connection with the "lpd" protocol a local machine, this function "int cl_lpr "displays a message indicating that a daemon is not starting is.
• - The page width specified with the "Page width" argument not valid for a cover page. The width of the cover sheet is changed with the specification "pb" of the file "printcap".

[* 9]

(2) Identify the print specifications of the document

Format: int cl_lgc (printer, document type, orientation, form size, Page, zoom, resolution, adpt_prnrs_str).

Features: This command searches for printers for printing specifications that are designated with input parameters and outputs the list of suitable printers. To everyone suitable printer contains the list: (a) the name of the concerned Printer, (b) the name of the associated print server, (c) its Installation location, (d) its removal from the affected client and (e) the amount of print jobs waiting in it in a suitable printer resource structure is set. Information The appropriate printers are saved as current states, namely together with the designated printing specifications (ent according to the current printing specifications given above). The -P option ("printer") is used to designate the printer first Priority level used. In a case where the printer is the first priority level is not suitable for the print specifications he is not selected.

Input arguments

chr * printer argument to designate the first priority printer that is requested to print a document.
int Document type Argument for the type of PDL of the document.
int Orientation Argument for designating the print orientation (portrait or landscape) of the document.
int form size argument for specifying a paper sheet size or format.
int page argument to designate single-sided / double-sided printing.
int Zoom argument for designating an enlargement / reduction ratio.
int resolution argument to designate the dot density of the printer in question.

Output arguments

Structure A_PRNRS * adpt_prnrs_str
Pointer to the appropriate printer resource structure.
Structure A_PRNS {
int adaptability; 9999: unsuitable, 0: the printer that the user wants first is suitable, 1: the printer that the user wants first is not suitable.
int prnum; Number of suitable printers.
A_PR adpt_ []; Field of suitable printer structures.
}
Structure A_PR {
chr * adpt_prnm []; Pointer to the name of a suitable printer.
chr * adpt_prsvr []; Pointer to the name of a print server belonging to a suitable printer.
chr * adpt_place; Pointer to the name of an installation location of a suitable printer.
chr * adpt_dstn Distance between a suitable printer and a client.
chr * adpt_jobvol; Volume of jobs waiting to be printed in a suitable printer.
};

Function return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1 or higher: Abnormal end.

(Error codes are assigned to corresponding error factors).  

Notabilia

• - It is assumed that each printer has a spool queue Has.
• - In a case where the appropriate printer is made by this Function "int cl_lgc" is selected, the client should the print job transfer function "cl_lpr" to the appropriate one Output printer.

(3) Inquiries about the detailed status of a print job

Format: int cl_jobq (printer, panum, papoint, num_job, job_sts).

Features: The client asks for the transfer destination print Server of a print job about the detailed status of the print job specified by a printer name and a job number is to output this detailed status.

The order number, a user name, a print file name, the job status, an error type, a printer error code # 1 and a printer error code # 2.

If there is a "no paper" error regarding the particular one Order is also given a code indicating the sheet size. At Presence of any correctable error affecting a reprint opera tion requires, like a paper jam, the side where the error is undermined, issued.  

In the absence of a corresponding order because the on If the contract number or the printer name are incorrect, only the Information issued.

Here one of (a) the occurrence of a correctable error, (b) a "hold" state, (c) a wait for an idle one Printer and (d) just printing as the job status ben. Under this information, the "hold" state (b) signals the Order status, which is determined by the user I / F command "usr_hold" or the Client I / F function "cl_hold" for holding / releasing a print job edition as explained above.

In addition, one of (a) "no error", (b) any recoverable error that does not require a reprint operation, (c) any recoverable error that requires a reprint operation, and (d) any non-recoverable error as the error type. A representative example of the indication (b) is the error "no paper", one for the indication (c) is the error of a paper jam or the error "printer cover open" and one for the indication (d) is the failure of the printing machine unit ( 408 in Fig. 4) or the printer control device ( 40 C).

Both printer error codes # 1 and # 2 are combined to describe the detailed code of the error detected by the printer driver ( 1814 in Figure 18) of the print server ( 14 or 15 in Figure 1). Specifically, the error codes No. 1 and No. 2 in the same manner as described in the previous case of the "usr_jobq" command.

The code designating the sheet size indicates the sheet size that the Refill user for the presence of the "no paper" error. The output of the page that made a mistake shows the  Serial page number of the page (which indicates the correctable error under which requires the reprint operation), counted from the on start the specific print job. The same applies as in the previous one case of the "usr_jobq" command for output of the page that makes a mistake.

Input arguments

chr * printer argument to designate a printer. If this argument is not used, a default printer or an environment variable printer is referred to as a "printer".
int panum Number of input arguments, each consisting of the order number and the user name.
chr * papoint Field of input arguments, each consisting of the order number and the user name. The order numbers and the user names are made distinguishable by setting up rules.

Output arguments

int * num_job Number of responding jobs.
Structure USR_JOBQ {
int job_no; Order number,
chr * user; User name,
int file_cnt; Number of print files,
chr ** file_cnt field of print file names,
int job_stts; Order status,
int err_code; Error type,
int sens; Printer error code # 1,
int stts; Printer error code # 2,
int paper_size; Code identifying the paper size
int err_page; Page on which an error occurred (or which makes an error).
} * job_sts [];

Function return value (rtn_code) =
0: Normal end
1 or higher: Abnormal end.

Notabilia

• - It is desirable for traffic reduction, this function only output "int cl_jobq" in a case where the specification "cl_lpr" has been designated in a mail mode and where the capture an error has been indicated by a mail message.
• - In a case where the mail mode is not specified "cl_Ipr" can be used, it is desirable to use this radio output "int cl_jobq" in a querying manner, whereby the detailed information of the print job is monitored.

(4) Control remote order issuance

Format cl_rlpc (access word, subcommand, n, parm, output string te).

Features: A special user who registers in the server is controlled, controls a line printer daemon in the server. These Command function controls the following information of a remote printer the use of printer information stored in the file "/ etc / print cap "is saved:

• - Ability / Inability to output to the remote printer
• - Ability / inability to accept the print request
• - Start / stop of the spool daemon
• - Change the order of orders in the spool wait Snake
• - Output the status of the remote printer and a relationship between the spool queue and the printer daemon.

Input arguments

With input arguments, subcommands, which are explained below, designated. In a case where no argument is given, is a ready message "lpc <" appears and it will respond to a subcommand input waited. On this occasion, the subcommand from the File can be loaded by redirecting standard input.

The subcommands are given as follows:

Abort (abort) {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand blocks the output to the designated printer and the acceptance of the print request by this printer and he stops the spool daemon. It also clears the spool queue of the designated printer. The designation of the printer includes single  print name based on the printer name and an all- Printer name based on the specification "all".

Clear (all) printers. . . }.

The files "cf", "tf" and "df" that are in the spool queue of the designated printer are also deleted. The The name of the printer includes the individual printer name on the Based on the printer name and an all-printer label on the Basis of the specification "all".

Disable {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand blocks the acceptance of the print request by the concerned printer. This means that the new order cannot be spooled even when issuing a print request command. That Unterbe Failure is useful when a new filter is to be tested. He is also effective; if printing requests are to be prevented for a long time during e.g. B. the printer's failure to become men. The designation of the printer includes single printers label based on the printer name and an all-print Ker designation based on the specification "all".

OFF (down) {all | printers. . . } Message.

This subcommand blocks the output to the designated printer and the acceptance of the print request by this printer and he stops the spool daemon. When this subcommand is executed a message expressing the status of the printer will be sent to the Printer status file output. The name of the printer includes  Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".

Enable (all | printers). . . }.

This subcommand indicates the acceptance of the print request by the designated printer free. Thus, the new order can with the Print request command can be spooled. The name of the printer includes a single printer name based on the printer's name mens and an all-printer label based on the indication "all".

Restart {all | printers. . . }.

The spool daemon of the designated printer is started. This Subcommand is used in a case where any order is in the spool queue remains when due to the spool daemon an abnormality has been interrupted.

Start {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand enables printing to the designated printer and starts the spool daemon. The name of the printer includes a single printer name based on the printer name and an all printer label based on the phrase "all".

Status [printer].

This subcommand gives the states of the spool daemon and the spool Queue of the designated printer. The printer will only  identified by individual name based on the printer name net. This label can be omitted, and all printers are designated by this omission.

Stop {all | printers. . . }.

After the current job of the designated printer is completed output to that printer is blocked, and the The spool daemon is stopped. This subcommand is for maintenance of the printer, etc. effectively. Even while the printer is stopped, a print request can be accepted. The name of the Printer includes single printer designation based on the Printer name and an all-printer name based on the Specification "all".

Tip [order number. . . ] [User. . . ].

This subcommand changes the order of jobs in the spool Queue of the designated printer. Specifically, the designated one Job moved to the top of the spool queue.

ON (up) {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand gives the output to the designated printer and free acceptance of the print request by this printer and he starts the spool daemon. The name of the printer includes Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".  

Although not mentioned in Figure 10, the following client I / F command functions are also supported:

• (a) Hold / release a print job issue
• (b) Cancel an order
• (c) Find alternative printer candidates
• (d) reference to previous print jobs of each user
• (e) Inquiries about printer configurations
• (f) Requests for printer specifications.

The above client I / F functions are defined so that each client I / F function (a) through (e) can correspond to each user I / F command ( 5 ) through ( 10 ).

The specifications of the management I / F command functions for distributed printing listed in Fig. 11 will be explained below.

(1) Requests for printer specifications

Format: dm_prchrq.

Features: The management server ( 13 in Fig. 1, 820 in Fig. 8) for distributed printing queries the print server, designated by an input argument, about the names and specifications of all printers used by the designated print server being controlled.

Input argument

pssvr_name print server name.  

Output argument

Structure PSSVR_PRN_CHR * prn_chr_set.

Pointer to a printer specification structure. This structure is from the the following information

• (1) Number (s) of controlled printers on the print server
• (2) Name of printer No. 1
• (3) Specifications of Printer No. 1
  :
  :
• (4) Name of printer No.
• (5) Printer No. n specifications (Note) where n is 32.

(2) Inquiries about printer status

Format: dm_prstsq.

Features: The distributed printing management server asks at the print server, which is labeled with the input argument, via the names and states of all printers identified by the th print server can be controlled.

Input argument

pssvr_name print server name.

Output argument

Structure PSSVR_PRN_STS * prn_sts_set.

Pointer to a printer status tree. This structure is from the following composed of the information:

• (1) Number (s) of controlled printers on the print server
• (2) Name of printer No. 1
• (3) Status of printer # 1
  :
  :
• (4) Name of printer No.
• (5) Status of printer No. n (Note) where n is 32.

(3) Inquiries about spooler states

Format: dm_splstsq

Features: The distributed printing management server asks at the print server, which is labeled with the input argument, via the specifications and states of all spooler queues, which are controlled by the designated print server.

Input argument

pssvr_name printer servename.

Output argument

Structure PSSVR_SPL * spl_chrsts
Pointer to a spooler structure. This structure is composed of the following information:

• (1) Status of the print server
• (2) Specifications of the entire spooler
• - Capacity used (in bytes)
• (3) Components of the spool queues
• - Number (s) of queues
• - Name of spool queue number 1
• - Number of print jobs in spool queue no. 1
• - States of the individual print jobs that form spool queue No. 1
  :
  :
• - Name of spool queue number n
• - Number of print jobs in spool queue no. N
• - States of the individual print jobs that the spool war Form queue number n (Note) where n is 32.

Among the printer access I / F command functions listed in Fig. 12, pr_lpr and pr_rlpc are particularly relevant to the present invention, and their specifications will be explained below.

(1) Submit a request for printing

Format: cl_lpr [-P printer] [- # number] [-C class] [-J job] [-T Title] [-i [numcols]] [-wnum] [-m] [-pv] [-lrhs] [name. . . ] [-d document type] [-L orientation] [-F form size] [-S size] [-c zoom] [-r resolution].  

Features: The print server is ordered to print one transfer to the printer. Logical print specifications can also be labeled with an option parameter. The -P- Option is used to designate the printer's first priority level used.

Input arguments

-P argument to designate the first priority level printer that was requested to print the object. When designating the printer, a printer name is written after -P.
- # argument to designate the number of copies to be printed. When designating the number of copies to be printed, this is written behind - #.
-C argument for designating the order class of a cover page. When designating the order class, it is written behind -C.
-J argument to designate the cover page job name (an initial value is the file name). When designating the order name, it is written after -J.
-T Denotes a title for use in "pr" (this argument -T is used together with the -P argument). When designating the title, it is written after -T.
-i [numcols]

Indent when printing. If this argument is a number, spaces in a specified number should be placed at the front of each line when printing. Otherwise an empty space is set corresponding to 8 characters.
-w Specifies the number of characters on a line.
-m Informs the user of the results of printing when it is completed via a mail message. The mail message is also used to inform the user of an error control in the case where "rs" has been set in the file "/ etc / printcap" of a machine to which the printer is connected.
-pv argument in the case of printing using different filters. The letters and the filters correspond as follows:
-p Format with the "pr" command.
-v Use the filter identified by "vf" of the printcap file.
-lrhs
Suppress page break by using a filter that recognizes a control character (the argument [c] is not supplied to the filter).
-r Delete the file after the transfer to the print server has been completed or after the output to a local printer has been completed.
-h Suppress printing of the cover page (first page).
-s If this argument is given when printing a file that is too large to be spooled (greater than "mx" of the "printcap" file), the file is split and then spooled.
Name Identifies the file to be printed.
-d Identifies the type of PDL (page description language) of a document with the value of an argument "document type".
-L Denotes the print orientation (portrait or landscape) of the document with the value of an argument "orientation".
-F Specifies a paper sheet size or size with the value of a "form size" argument.
-S Denotes single-sided / double-sided printing according to the value of an argument "page".
-c Denotes an enlargement / reduction ratio according to the value of an argument "zoom" (%).
-r Identifies the dot density of the printer in question with the value of an argument "resolution".

Notabilia

• - Sometimes when a large file is to be spooled to failure that it is not fully spooled. In one Case where any user other than a "root" user has a  File issued under the locked state of a spool queue "lpr" indicates a message about this effect, and it prevents a corresponding job from being queued is classified. In addition, in a case where no ver connection with the "lpd" protocol of a local machine "pr_pr" is a message that shows that a daemon has not started.
• - The page width indicated by the argument "-w" is not valid for a cover page. The width of the cover sheet is with the specification "pw" of the file "printcap" changed.
• - If the argument "-s" has been specified, a file can be up to not edited or deleted at the end of printing.

(2) Control remote order issuance

Format: pr_rlpc [access word] [command [argument. . . ]].

Features: A special user working in the print server is registered, controls a line printer daemon in a remote printer. This command function controls the following information of the remote printer through the use of printer information contained in the / etc / printcap "is saved:

• - Ability / Inability to output to the remote printer
• - Ability / inability to accept a print request
• - Start / stop of the spool daemon
• - Change the order of orders in a spool war tea snake  
• - Output the status of the remote printer and the relationship between between the spool queue and the printer daemon.

Input arguments

Input arguments are used to refer to subcommands, the ones below be explained.

The subcommands are given as follows:

Abort (abort) {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand blocks the output to the designated printer and the acceptance of the print request by this printer and he stops the spool daemon. It also clears the spool queue of the designated printer. The designation of the printer includes single printer name based on the printer name and an all- Printer name based on the specification "all".

Clear (all) printers. . . }.

The files "cf", "tf" and "df" that are in the spool queue of the designated printer are also deleted. The The name of the printer includes the individual printer name on the Based on the printer name and an all-printer label on the Basis of the specification "all".

Disable {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand blocks the acceptance of the print request by the designated printer. This means that every new job cannot be spooled even if a print request command is issued. This Subcommand is useful when testing a new filter. It is also effective; if printing requests are prevented from doing so should, for a long time during z. B. the failure of the printer to be accepted. The name of the printer includes Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".

OFF (down) {all | printers. . . } Message.

This subcommand blocks the output to the designated printer and the acceptance of the print request by this printer and he stops the spool daemon. When this subcommand is executed a message expressing the status of the printer will be sent to the Printer status file output. The name of the printer includes Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".

Enable (all | printers). . . }.

This subcommand indicates the acceptance of the print request by the designated printer free. Thus, the new order can with the Print request command can be spooled. The name of the printer includes a single printer name based on the printer's name mens and an all-printer label based on the indication "all".

Restart {all | printers. . . }.

The spool daemon of the designated printer is started. This Subcommand is used in a case where an order is in the Spool queue remains if the spool daemon due to any an abnormality has been interrupted.

Start {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand enables printing to the designated printer and starts the spool daemon. The name of the printer includes Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".

Status [printer].

This subcommand shows the states of the spool daemon and the spool Queue of the designated printer. The printer will only by the individual name based on the printer name designated. This designation can be omitted, and all printing Ker are indicated by the omission.

Stop {all | printers. . . }.

After the current job of the designated printer is completed output to the printer is blocked and the spool Daemon is stopped. This subcommand is for the maintenance of the printer kers etc. effectively. Even while the printer is stopped, any print request will be accepted. The name of the Printer includes single printer designation based on the Printer name and an all-printer name based on the Specification "all".

Tip [order number. . . ] [User. . . ].

This subcommand changes the order of jobs in the spool Queue of the designated printer. Specifically, the designated one Job moved to the top of the spool queue.

ON (up) {all | printers. . . }.

This subcommand gives the output to the designated printer and free acceptance of the print request by this printer and he starts the spool daemon. The name of the printer includes Single printer name based on the printer name and an all-printer label based on the phrase "all".

Incidentally, in Fig. 12, the print request command function based on the "lpd" protocol is displayed as one of the printer access I / F command functions. For the print request command, it is also possible to accept a command that is not based on the "lpd" protocol.

In addition, in Fig. 12, the commands for the network printers (the printers directly connected to the network) are shown as those representing the printer access interface. In the case of server printers (the printers directly connected to the server), commands can be used that are found in earlier Japanese patent applications (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60781/1990 and No. 166511/1990, filed by Hitachi Ltd. ) are shown.

In the user us / f commands "usr_lpr" and client I / F functions "cl_lpr" and "cl_lgc" can be used with a print specification Plenty of information as input arguments at a time be shown. In the commands "usr_lpr" and "cl_glc" the suitable printer and the suitable print server, which of the multitude of details of the print specification at a time are sufficient as an output of the commands and functions can be obtained.

In the case of commands and functions, those which are used Receive print specifications with just one entry; (a) the User or (b) the application programs that are not a print service programs must work with the special processes as specified in (i) and (ii) below. However, in the commands and functions mentioned above "usr_lpr", "usr_lgc", "cl_lpr" and "cl_lgc" does not need the special processes.

• (i) Output of commands and functions via the print specifics tion for each item according to the number of the number of Information.
• (ii) Apply AND logic to the groups of the appropriate ones Printers that meet all specifications of the printing specifications, and get a group of suitable printers that have all the details at one time is enough.

In the user I / F commands "usr_ lpr" and "usr_rgc" and in the client I / F Functions "cl_lpr" and "cl_lgc" are performed by the appropriate printer simultaneous creation of the multitude of details of the printing specifications to the input arguments and by creating the combination logic of AND and OR searched for this information in the print specifications.  

The names of the user I / F commands can be "lpr", "lpq", "lprm", "lpc", "pac", "lgc", "jobq", "hold", "revry", "atlprn_disp", "jobhst", "prnconf_disp" and "prnspc_" qry ", which the part" usr_ "of the mentioned user I / F Commands are missing. If these commands "lpr", "lpq", "lprm", "lpc", "pac", etc. commands that have already existed are used deletes or the name of these commands is changed to a conflict to escape. According to this procedure, users can programs and the application / user programs which are conventional upward compatible function of the "lpd" protocol in the conventional use upward compatible I / F.

In the user I / F commands "usr_lpr" and usr_lgc "and in the client I / F Functions "cl_lpr" and "cl_lgc" can refer to the specifications Printing, e.g. B. fonts, colors, etc. to the arguments be added. In this case, the printing system can be the same Way to be realized.

The printing steps which are features of the present invention will now be described with reference to Figs. 13 and 14. Figure 13 illustrates the printing steps for designating printing a document at a logical specification level. As can be seen from the figure, the print server 830 (14 or 15 in Fig. 1) issues the printer status request commands "pr_stsq" (130-2, 131-2) to the printers (e.g. printer A ( 841 in Fig. 13, 16 in Fig. 1) and printer B ( 842 in Fig. 13, 17 in Fig. 1)), which are the systems controlled by them, at any fixed point in time (e.g. at regular time intervals of about one second). The states of the individual printers, which are found by such monitoring, are entered in a local printer control table 1310 , whereas the execution states of the print jobs in the individual printers are entered in a local print job control table 1311 .

The distributed printing management server 820 ( 13 in Fig. 1) issues the printer status request command "dm_prstsq" 132-0 to all print servers (one or more print servers including the print server 830 shown in Fig. 13), which are the systems controlled by it, at any fixed time, and enters the states of the individual printers found by such monitoring into a printer control table 1320 . Furthermore, the distributed printing management server 820 (13) issues the spooler status request command "dm_splstsq" 133 to all print servers ( 830, etc.) that are the systems controlled by them, at any fixed time, and carries them the states of the print jobs in the individual spoolers, which are found by such monitoring, into a print job control table 1321 .

The client 810 ( 11 or 12 , shown in Fig. 1) issues the document print specification designation command "cl_lgc" 134 asynchronously with the above periodic monitoring operations based on the request commands 130 to 133 , thereby reducing the print specifications of the document to be printed next and are sent to the management server 820 (13) for distributed printing. In response to the specification designation command 134 , the distributed printing management server 820 (13) sends to the client 810 (11 or 12) the name of a printer whose printer specifications are appropriate for the document printing specifications, and the name of the print server that is used Printer (answer 134-1) controls.

The client 810 (11 or 12) then issues the print job transfer command "cl_lpr" 135 to the appropriate print server 830 (14 or 15) and commands that print server to print the document using the appropriate printer. In response to the print job transfer command 135 , the print server 830 (14 or 15) creates a print job and stores the generated print job in a file 1330 called "print spooler" which stores print jobs corresponding to the respective printers . Incidentally, the print job transfer command 135 has been implemented as the extension of the "lpr" command of the "lpd" protocol as shown in Fig. 10. Accordingly, only the name of the appropriate printer is referred to as the argument of this command function 135 , and the name of the appropriate print server need not be designated. The reason for this is that with the "cl_lpr" command function, the names of the print servers belonging to the individual printers are previously registered in the printer registration file "/ etc / printcap".

In such a case that the print job transfer command can only be issued using the name of the appropriate printer and not the name of the appropriate print server, the name of the appropriate print server can be eliminated from response 134-2 in FIG , and suggesting candidates for an alternative print server can be eliminated from answer 134-2 in FIG. 14. When the client requests a print, the print server name is rarely used, making it easier for the user to use the printer.

On the other hand, the print job transfer command can be ge to be changed using only the name of the appropriate print server rather than the name of the appropriate printer.  

In this case, the name may be of a suitable printer from the Ant word 134-2 in Fig. 13 are eliminated, and proposing alternative Kandi data for printer can be of the response 134-2 in Fig. 14 eliminated.

The command function cl_jobq 137 is used to monitor the detailed status of the print job in accordance with the command function 135 . It is also contemplated to issue command function 137 to management server 820 (13) for distributed printing. However, such a measure has not been taken in this exemplary embodiment because access to the administration server 820 (FIG. 13) is unfavorably concentrated for distributed printing. Command 137 is only issued in a case in which the command cl_lpr was issued in a mail mode and in which an error detection was indicated by a mail message. This aspect is desirable to avoid unnecessary traffic.

In the presence of one or more print jobs in each print spooler, the print server 830 (14 or 15) issues the print request command pr_lpr 136 and transmits the particular print job to the printer (e.g. 842 (17)) that is associated with the concerned print spooler, as soon as this printer becomes free. In response to print request command 136 , the printer (e.g., 842 (17)) prints the particular print job on paper.

Due to the application of the above printing steps, the troubles of the user of understanding the specifications of the printer in the Printing system and selecting the appropriate printer on the Basis of the printer specifications to be eliminated to be convenient to significantly improve the user experience of the printing system.  

In addition, the distributed printing management server chooses the suitable printer by not only suitability for printing specifications but also the distances between the client who submitted the print request and the printers to be selected and / or the amounts of print jobs to be included in the respective dialing printers are waiting, taking into account what makes it possible is made to select the printer that is closer to the printer Is a user who completes printing earlier. Accordingly the convenience of the printing system to users can be further can be improved, and the printing throughput of the entire system can be improved.

Next, illustrates Fig. 14, the printing steps for designating the printing of a document with an alternate printer or print server in a case where a printer or print server a failure or an error is undermined. The periodic monitoring operations on the basis of the request commands 130 to 133 are the same as in Fig. 13. It is here in Fig. 14 angenom men that the client 810 (11 or 12) the document print specification designating command cl_lgc 134 asynchronous with the periodic Monitoring steps, whereby (1) the print specifications of the document to be printed next desired and (2) the name of the printer desired to print the document with the first priority level (e.g. printer A ( 841 in Fig. 14, 16 in Fig. 1)), and the designated information is sent to the management server 820 (13) for distributed printing.

It is also believed that at the time of receiving command 134, distributed printing management server 820 (13) has recognized the following fact from monitoring steps 130-1, 130-2, 132-1 and 132-2: That is, the Printer A ( 841 , 16) of the first priority level is suitable for the designated printing specifications, but it is in the state of a fatal error, which is the failure of a printer control device.

Therefore, in response 134-2 to command 134 , the distributed printing management server 820 (13) informs the client 810 (11 or 12) of the fact that printer A ( 841 , 16) of the first priority level is failing the printer controller has been made along with the recommendation that printer B ( 842 in Fig. 14, 17 in Fig. 1) should be used as the alternative printer. In response 134-2, the name of the appropriate print server associated with printer B ( 842 , 17) is also reported to client 810 (11 or 12).

Here, on the condition that the user of the client 810 (11 or 12) accepts the recommendation, a processing program (which corresponds to the processing program of a "Submit a request to print at logical specification level" command under the printer interface commands) gives the print job in this client - Transfer command cl_lpr 135 to the appropriate print server and designates the printing of the document with the alternative printer. Printing steps from the issuance of the print job transfer command 135 to steps 136 and 137 are the same as in the case of FIG. 13.

As indicated above, the management server chooses for distributed printing the appropriate printer and the appropriate print server in which the error or failure states of the printers to be selected and the print server to be selected in addition to the aforementioned ones electoral conditions are taken into account, making the normal  Printer and print server are selected and the selected one Printer and print server to the client is recommended. Thus the users the trouble of finding out the normal / abnormal ones States of the devices involved, and the reliability, the availability and print throughput of the printing system can still be further improved.

Incidentally, in the illustration of Fig. 14, the identical print server 830 (14 or 15) controls printer A ( 841 , 16) and printer B ( 842 , 17), and thus does not become a print server even if it occurs of failure. In a case where different print servers control such printers, they are changed. A method of switching is the same as the dynamic allocations of printers and print servers previously explained with reference to FIGS. 5-7.

In addition, in the above steps of Figs. 13 and 14, the printer specification request commands (pr_chrq) 130-1 and 131-1 sent from the print server 830 (14 or 15) to the respective printers 841 (16) and 842 ( 17), and the printer specification request command (dm_prchrq) 132-1 directed from the distributed printing management server 820 (13) to the print server 830 (14 or 15) is issued at the following times:

• - When the device initializes on the command issue side has been
• - When a certain period of time previously set has expired.

Referring now to Fig. 15, the processing steps of the client ( 810 in Fig. 15, 11 or 12 in Fig. 1), the management server ( 820 , 13 ) for distributed printing, the print server ( 830 , 14 or 15) and the printer ( 841 , 842 , 16 or 17, for example) and the processing method of the entire printing system, which is the combination of such devices involved.

First, the processing steps of the client 810 (11 or 12) in the case of issuing the user interface commands will be explained. Displayed at 1510 in Figure 15 is the logical specification level print request command (usr_lpr) 1510 , which is one of the user I / F commands. Specifically, this command 1510 is implemented using the client interface commands (cl_lgc) 1511 and (cl_lpr) 1513 as follows:

• (1) The client 810 (11 or 12) issues the document print specification designation command (cl_lgc) to the management server 820 (13) for distributed printing (at step 1511).
• (2) In response to the designation command (cl_lgc), client 810 (11 or 12) receives information about any printer and print server suitable for the printing specifications of a particular document from management server 820 (13 ) for distributed printing (at step 1512).
• (3) Based on the answer at step 1512, the client 810 (11 or 12) transmits a print job corresponding to the document to the appropriate print server 820 (14 or 15) (at step 1513).

In addition, when the user of the client 810 (11 or 12) has given this client the print job detail status request command (usr_jobq) or the remote job output control command (usr_rlpc) contained in the user I / F commands the client 810 (11 or 12) the print job detail status request command (cl_jobq) 1550 or the remote job output control command (cl_rlpc) 1551, which is the client I / F command that has the same name as the corresponding user I / F command to the print server 830 (14 or 15) which is the transfer destination of the print job. In this case, the client 810 (11 or 12) receives the detailed status of the print job or the results of a remote job output control from the transfer destination print server 820 (14 or 15).

Fig. 28 shows the relationships in which the user I / F commands use the client I / F commands.

As shown in this figure, the user I / F command uses usr_lpr the client I / F commands cl_lpc (1-1) and cl_lpr (1-2). The other users zer I / F commands usr_lpc, usr_lprm, usr_lpc, usr_pac, usr_jobq and usr_rlpc use the client I / F commands cl_lpq (2), cl_lprm (3), cl_lpc (4), cl_pac (5), cl_jobq (6) or cl_rlpc (7).

The "usr_lpr" command mentioned above automatically selects the appropriate one Printer that meets the required printing specifications. Of the Expression "automatic" means that the processing program this Command each printer via (a) the customizability of the print specification nen, (b) the distance (proximity) from the client and (c) the amount of waiting print jobs and a printer from the group the suitable printer that meets the printing specifications without selects a destination of the user.  

In addition to the automatic selection, another command (usr_lpr2) output that processes a semi-automatic selection, which requires the determination of the user.

• (1) First, the user gives the same in the command "usr_lpr2" Input arguments as in the "usr_lpr" command.
• (2) Output the list of suitable printers on the display, which one meet the printing specifications. At this point the names of the printers and (a) the distance (proximity) from the Client, (b) the amount of print jobs waiting, and (c) the instal location is displayed. The suitable printers in the group will be in the order of the information (a) and (b). The Rei order is given by specifying (a) as a first key and the Specification (b) determined as a second key.
• (3) The user chooses the most preferred printer (the selected one Printer) from the group of suitable printers and instructs this command.
• (4) This command receives the designated selected printer and transfers the print jobs to the print server that corresponds to the selected printer in the same manner as 1513 .

With the semi-automatic selection mentioned, the selected one Printers by the user from a variety of suitable printers determined so that the user can select the most preferred printer can.  

Furthermore, the semi-automatic selection is combined Use of a (a) command "usr_lgc" and a command "usr_lpr", (b) a command "usr_lgc" and a function "cl_lpr", (c) a function "cl_lgc" and a command "usr_lpr" and (d) a function "cl_lgc" and realized a function "cl_lpr". In this case, the user chooses the most preferred printer itself, based on the Output of the group of suitable printers that meet the printing specifics cations are sufficient, which by the command "usr_lgc" or the function "cl_lgc" were issued on the ad. Next called the user selects the selected printer through the input arguments of the User I / F commands "usr_lpr" and "lpr" or the client I / F function "cl_lpr". If the "lpr" command is used, the semi-automatic Selection without changing the application / user programs under Using the existing "lpr" command.

Referring again to Fig. 15, the distributed printing management server 820 (13) executes the logical specification level print request command according to the following steps, which should be called "dynamic printer / print server assignments" ( 1520 ):

• (1) The distributed printing management server 820 (13) receives the document print specification designation command ( 1521 ).
• (2) The management server 820 (13) for distributed printing selects a printer whose printer specifications are suitable for the document printing specifications indicated by the input arguments of the designation command, and a suitable print server that goes to the appropriate printer ( 1522 ) heard. On this occasion, the management server 820 (13) checks the access rights of each client to the individual printers and the individual print servers by using authorized services in another indication "other management services" (shown at reference number 1740 in Fig. 17), for example . It denies the print request to any client that does not have access rights.
• (3) The selection results at step 1522 are reported as a response to the client 810 (11 or 12), which is the output source of the step 1521 (1523) designation command.

In addition, the print server 830 (14 or 15) performs send / receive processes with the client 810 (11 or 12) according to the various client I / F commands issued by that client as follows:

• (1) The print job is received and placed in a print queue according to the print job transfer command of step 1513 (1530) registered.
• (2) According to the print job detail status request command of step 1550, the print server 830 (14 or 15) examines the status of the print job in question, which is identified by the input arguments of this request command, based on the local print job control table 1311 , and then reports the status of the print job in question, which are the results being examined, to the client 810 (11 or 12), which is the output source of this request command ( 1531 ).
• (3) According to the remote job output control command of step 1551, the print server 830 (14 or 15) controls the print job in question, which is indicated by the input argument of this control command, in accordance with the sub-commands of this control command and reports the controlled results to the Client 810 (11 or 12), which is the output source of this control command ( 1532 ). The control command mentioned here has the ability to control the already registered print job in the print server and in the print spooler contained in this print server. Since such a feature is not offered by the "lpd" protocol, the control command (cl_rlpc) has been introduced again as the extended command for management, as shown in FIG. 10.

Furthermore, the print server 830 (14 or 15) carries out the send / receive processes with the printer 840 (e.g. 16 or 17) as follows:

• (1) Regarding the peak of the print jobs registered in the print queue by the step 1530, the print server 830 (14 or 15) issues the print request command to the corresponding printer ( 1533 ) as soon as the printer has been idle for a long time. In the illustrated processing here, print server 830 (14 or 15) only sends one print job to each printer at a time. That is, each print server 830 (14 or 15) has received the completion of the print job from the printer 840 (e.g., 16 or 17) by one method, which is shown in the next step 1534, and the next Print job is sent to the 840 printer.
• (2) At step 1534, print server 830 (14 or 15) deletes the completed print job from the print queue if it completes the print job that is the object of the print request at step 1533 by receiving a print job completion report from that Printer 840 was known.

Printer 840 (e.g., 16 or 17) performs processing according to the print request command from print server 830 (14 or 15) as follows (1540):

• (1) A chain of print commands representing the print job is stored in the buffer memory, which is called "command buffer" ( 40 A in Fig. 4) and is contained in the printer controller ( 40 C). When the command buffer has become full or free, printer 840 reports this situation to print server 830 (14 or 15). In the full condition of the command buffer, the printer 840 rejects sending a command from the print server 830 (14 or 15), whereas in the free condition it indicates to the print server 830 (14 or 15) that it is ready Send commands (1541).
• (2) During successive reading of the commands from the command buffer, the printer 840 interprets and executes these commands, thereby drawing characters, any graphics and / or any image in the memory which is "page buffer" ( 40 A in Fig. 4) is called (at step 1542).
• (3) Printer 840 outputs the content of the page buffer drawn at step 1542 to press engine unit ( 408 in Fig. 4) when the opportunity arises. Then the printing press unit 408 prints the particular document on paper using various printing mechanisms (1543). In addition, it is when the printer controller 40 C to complete the print job has detected on the basis of the end of printing each page (1544), for detected. B. from a report from the print engine unit 408 , a print job completion report to the print server 830 (14 or 15) (at step 1545).

FIGS. 16-20 illustrate the software structures of the client (z. B. 11 or 12 in Fig. 1), the management server (13) for distributed printing, the print server (14 or 15) and the printer (19 or 1 A, and 16 , 17 or 18 ). As shown in FIG. 16, the client includes a local OS (operating system) kernel 1610 for performing such basic controls as interrupt control, system call control, processing control, and file control; a network driver 1621 for controlling a physical network, e.g. B. "ETHERNET" or "FDDI"; a communication protocol 1622 , e.g. B. "TCP / IP (Transmission Control Protocol / Internet Protocol)"; and a communication control layer 1623 , e.g. B. "Socket" or "RPC (Remote Procedure Call)".

Here is a print log library 1630 from a standard print log library 1631 (corresponding to those interface command functions in FIG. 10 whose origins are the "lpd" protocol) and an expanded print log library 1632 (corresponding to those interface names missing in FIG. 10 whose origins are missing) the administrative extension is set up). Of the participating libraries, the extended print log library 1632 has been added by the present invention.

In addition, print service commands for the client, as shown at 1640 , correspond to the processing programs of the user interface commands listed in FIG. 9. An AP (Application Program) 1650 contains various application programs and user programs for word processing, table treatment, databases, DTP (DeskTop Publishing) etc., which use the client. A shell 1660 is a program which mediates between the interactive operations of the user and the structural elements 1610 , 1650 , 1630 , 1640 etc. and which interprets and executes the commands.

The software structure of the distributed printing management server will be described with reference to FIG. 14. Similar to the client, the distributed printing management server includes a local OS kernel 1710 , a network driver 1721 , a communication protocol 1722, and a communication control layer 1723 . The local OS kernel 1710 includes a process controller 1711 , a file controller 1712, and a disk driver 1713 .

The distributed print management server of Fig. 17 has the feature that a print service access log library as shown at 1730 is provided through the local OS kernel 1710 and communication control layer 1723 that a distributed print management service 1750 is provided through the print service access log library 1730 is provided, and system administration commands 1760 are provided via the management service 1750 for distributed printing.

Here, the print service access log library 1730 consists of a program for executing those commands of the client interface commands intended for the distributed printing management server and a program for issuing the distributed printing management interface commands to any print server.

In addition, the distributed printing management service 1750 consists of (i) a program that executes the received client interface commands and (ii) a program that issues the distributed printing management interfaces intended for the print servers. An example of program (i) is the execution program of dynamically allocating the printers or print servers as stated above, whereas an example of program (ii) is a program that issues the commands listed in Fig. 11 to the specifications and understand and monitor the states of the printers and print servers (this program is to be called the "distributed printing operation manager feature module").

In addition, system administration commands 1760 are commands to start the distributed printing management service according to any of the commands (to request or change the structure or status of any print server or printer) given by the system administrator who is a privileged user.

The distributed printing management server is also provided with a 1770 shell for the same purpose as in the client.

Next, the software structure of the print server will be described with reference to Fig. 18. Similar to the client or distributed print management server, the print server includes a local OS kernel 1810 , a network driver 1821 , a communication protocol 1822, and a communication control layer 1823 . The local OS kernel 1810 includes a process controller 1811 , a file controller 1812 , a disk driver 1813, and a printer driver 1814 . The aforementioned print spooler is controlled using the file controller 1812 and the plate driver 1813 , whereas the printer (printer A (16), B (17) or C (18)), which is directly connected to this print server, under Use of the printer driver 1814 is controlled.

The print server in Fig. 18 has the feature that a library for a print service access log, as shown at 1830 , and a library for a printer access log, as shown at 1850 , via the local OS kernel 1810 and the com communication control layer 1823 are provided, and printer / spooler control service 1860 is provided through libraries 1830 and 1850 . The printer / spooler control service 1860 is composed of a function module 1861 for managing the distributed printing operation and a printer / spooler / font management service or module 1862 .

Here, the print service access log library 1830 is a program for executing those commands of the client interface commands that are intended for this print server. On the other hand, the printer access log library 1850 is a program for issuing the printer access interface commands (listed in Fig. 12) intended for these printers. The management feature module 1861 is for distributed printing operation a program for performing administrative interface commands for distributed printing, which are issued by the Administration for distributed printing. In addition, printer / spooler / font management module 1862 accesses and controls their printer, spooler, and font, which are designated by clients, such as personal computers and workstations.

The software structure of the printer controller 40 C for the network printer (printer that is connected directly to the network), as the printer 19 or 1 A is described with reference to Fig. 19 who the. Similar to the print server, this printer controller includes a local OS kernel 1910 , a network driver 1921 , a communication protocol 1922, and a communication control layer 1923 . The local OS kernel 1910 includes a process controller 1911 , a file controller 1912 , a buffer controller 1913 , a press engine controller 1914, and a plate controller 1915 . The process controller 1911 performs basic controls in cooperation with an interrupt controller and a system call controller in the same manner as in the cases of the client, the distributed printing management server, and the print server. In the illustrated printer control device, the features of real-time control are improved more than in the previous cases, so that various input / output events which have developed in the corresponding printer can be dealt with immediately. The buffer controller 1913 works to control the buffer memory, called the "command memory", in which the document data (composed of the print command string) received from the print server is stored, and to control the buffer memory, which "Page buffer" is called, in which a drawn result corresponding to the document data is stored. The print engine controller 1914 performs input / output control with the printer engine unit 408 according to this printer controller 40 from C. In addition, a library for a printer access protocol, as shown by reference numeral 1930, a program part for carrying out the printer access interface commands, which are outputted from the print server to the printer controller 40 to the C.

Various printing processes in 1940 perform printing using the above involved elements as follows:

• (1) The printer access log library 1930 executes the print request command issued from the print server, whereby the document data made up of a PDL such as e.g. B. the print command string (hereinafter also referred to as the "PDL document") can be stored in the command buffer.
• (2) A drawing process among the various printing processes 1940 interprets and processes the PDL document stored in the command buffer, thereby drawing characters, a graphic, an image or the like as point image data in the page buffer.
• (3) Then, a printing process among the various printing processes 1940 supplies the printing machine unit 408 with the dot image data which is the drawn result in the page buffer by using the printer engine controller 1914 facility.
• (4) The printing machine unit 408 receives the dot image data and prints it on paper using a printing mechanism such as an electrophotographic printing system, a wire dot printing system, a shuttle printing system, or an ink jet printing system.

The software structure, such as the printer 16 or 17, is described with reference to FIG. 20, the printer controller 40 C for the server printer (printer that is connected directly to the server). Similar to that shown in Fig. 19 printer controller 40 C containing this printer controller shown in Fig. 20 40 C a local OS kernel 2010, and various printing processes 2020th

The local OS kernel 2010 contains a process controller 2011 , a file controller 2012 , a buffer controller 2013 , a press controller 2014 , a plate controller 2015 and a server I / F controller 2016 . Among these controls, the process control 2011 , the file control 2012 , the buffer control 2013 , the press control 2014 and the plate control 2015 are the same as in the case of Fig. 19. In the server printer shown in Fig. 20, the server I / F-control 2016 made to control the physical interface, which z. B. uses the interface "SCSI", "RS232C", "RS422", "GB-IP" or "Centronics" between this printer and the associated print server.

The various printing processes 2020 perform printing using the above involved elements as follows:

• (1) The server I / F controller 2016 controls a PDL document in the command buffer, e.g. B. a print command string, which has been issued by the associated print server to the server interface 40 B ( FIG. 4) according to the print request request command issued by this print server.
• (2) A drawing process among these various printing processes 2020 interprets and processes the PDL document stored in the command buffer, thereby drawing characters, a graphic, an image or the like as point image data in the page buffer.
• (3) Then, a printing process among the various printing processes 2020 supplies the printing machine unit 408 with the dot image data which is the drawn result in the page buffer by using the features of the printing machine controller 2014 .
• (4) The printing machine unit 408 receives the dot image data and prints it on paper using a printing mechanism.

The content of the print job control table 1321 ( Fig. 13) will be described with reference to Fig. 21. This control table 1321 is used for the collective control of all print jobs relating to the network 10 ( FIG. 1), which is managed by the management server 13 for distributed printing. In the illustrated control table 1321 , (1) the name 2111 of a print job, ( 2 ) the name 2112 of the print server corresponding to the particular print job, ( 3 ) the name 2113 of the printer corresponding to the particular print job, and (4) the status 2114 of the specific print job with respect to each print job 2110 , 2120,. . . and 2130 . Here, as shown in Fig. 21, the print job status 2114 includes an abnormal end, waiting for the printer to be free, just printing, waiting for the operation or intervention of the operator or user, and completion of the printing. The status of waiting for the operator or user to operate corresponds to a situation in which the printer in question ran out of paper or toner during the execution of the specific print job, or e.g. B. has experienced a paper jam, so that manual intervention to refill the consumable or to eliminate the fault has become necessary. Print job status 2114 may also include a detailed error code in addition to the abnormal end.

The content of the printer control table 1320 ( Fig. 13) will be described with reference to Figs. 22-27.

Fig. 22, the entire organization illustrates the printer control table 1320th This table 1320 is used for the collective control of all printers relevant to this network 10 ( FIG. 1), which is managed by the management server 13 for distributed printing. In the illustrated control table 1320 , (1) the name 2230 of the printer concerned, (2) the name 2240 of the print server associated with the printer in question, (3) the name 2250 of a straight printing job, (4) the specifications 2260 of the printer in question and (5) the status 2270 of the printer in question with regard to the printers 2210 , 2211,. . . and 2212 .

Fig. 23 illustrates the contents of the printer specification 2260th As listed in the figure, printer specifications 2260 include (1) the type name 2261 of the printer in question, (2) its dot density 2262 , (3) its print speed 2263 , (4) its specification code 2264 , (5) its paper size set 2265 , (6 ) its PBL set, (7) its character set 2267 , (8) its form set 2268 and (9) its point density set 2269 . Dot density 2262 is expressed in units of "dpi" (dots per inch). Print speed 2263 is expressed in units of pages to be printed per minute as calculated for A4 size (ie in units of "ppm" (pages per minute)) for a page printer, in units of "cps" (Characters per second) for a serial printer; and in units of "lpm" (lines per minute) for a line printer.

As shown in Fig. 24, the possibility 22641 of duplex printing (or double-sided printing), a color specification 22642 (the distinction between monochrome / multicolor / full color) etc. are specified in the specification code 2264 .

In addition, the sets of paper sizes, PDLs, fonts, forms, and dot densities supported by the printer in question are specified in paper size set 2265 , PDL set 2266 , font 2267 , form set 2268, and dot density set 2269, respectively. Incidentally, not all paper sizes, PDLs and fonts belonging to the sets are necessarily installed in the printer in question at all times.

In addition, with respect to dot densities, it is believed that the press unit 408 can use the plurality of dot densities while changing them.

Fig. 25 illustrates the contents of the printer status 2270th As shown in the figure, the printer status 2270 (1) contains the busy state 2271 of the printer in question, (2) its server-printer communication state 2272 , (3) its error state 2273 , (4) the status 2274 of a sheet feeder. or ejection unit in the printer in question and (5) the resource state 2275 of the printer in question. Printer busy state 2271 expresses whether or not the printer in question is used to print any print job. The server-printer communication state 2272 expresses the state between the associated print server and the relevant printer, such as. B. an online, offline or hold state. The details of the server-printer communication state 2272 are the same as in the case of Japanese Patent Application No. 323289/1988 (previously filed by Hitachi Ltd.).

In addition, the error state 2273 is composed of the occurrence (presence or absence) 22731 of any error or failure and an error class 22732 and an error code 22733 when the error is present. Error class 22732 and error code 22733 are the same as in the cases of Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 155974/1991 and No. 224778/1991 (previously filed by Hitachi Ltd.).

Fig. 26 illustrates the status 2274 of sheet feed or ejection fineness of the corresponding printer. As shown in the figure, the status 2274 is composed of the status 22741 of the sheet feed unit, the status 22742 of the sheet ejection unit and a current selection status 22743 . With this information, the sheet feeder status 22741 expresses the states 22741-1 , 22741-2 , etc., of the individual sheet feed units (sheet feed unit No. 1, sheet feed unit No. 2, etc.) which are mounted in the printer concerned. The sheet ejection unit status expresses the states 22742-1 , 22742-2 , etc. of the individual sheet ejection units ( sheet ejection unit No. 1, sheet ejection unit No. 2 etc.) that are mounted in the printer in question. In addition, the current selection state 22743 expresses the sheet ejection unit currently selected in the relevant printer and the paper size selected for this, as shown with reference number 22743-1 , as well as the sheet ejection unit currently selected in the relevant printer and its status (any of "no eject tray", "no sheet in the eject tray of the sheet ejection unit" and "at least one sheet in the eject tray "), as indicated by reference number 22743-2 .

Fig. 27 illustrates the contents of the resource status 2275th As indicated in the figure, this status 2275 is composed of a dot density 22751 , a PDL 22752 , a character set 22753 and a form 22754 , which are currently selected in the printer in question.

Incidentally, the local print job control table 1311 and the local printer control table 1310 , which are contained in the print server 830 ( FIG. 13) are organized similarly to the print job control table 1321 and the printer control table 1320 , respectively. A different point is that respective control tables 1311 and 1310 control the print jobs and the printers as managed by the respective print servers, unlike control tables 1321 and 1320 , which perform controls on the whole network.

As described above, according to the present invention, when a print request specifying the name of the print specification of a document, is submitted, a printing system automa a suitable printer for the document printing specifications choose. Therefore, the user of the printing system will have trouble Find out the specifications of individual printers and the selection the appropriate printer based on the specifications, and the convenience of the printing system for the user (the operabi lity of the printing system) can be improved.

In addition, a management server manages distributed printing the printers and print servers that are part of a network on one centralized manner, as indicated above, whereupon the printer and the Print server responsible for the document printing designated by a client specifications are suitable, selected and used. It is therefore possible the usefulness and reliability of the printing system to improve.  

Furthermore, the management server for distributed printing chooses the ge qualified printer by the distances between the terminal (the client) who submitted the print request and to exit choosing printers and / or the amount of print jobs that are in wait for the respective printers to be selected, in addition to suitability the printing specifications are taken into account, which means that the printer, which is closer to the user and which is printing earlier det, can be selected. It is therefore possible to be convenient to improve the printing system for the user even further and improve the print throughput of the entire system.

Furthermore, the management server for distributed printing chooses the ge suitable printer and the appropriate print server by using the Error (failure) states of the printers to be selected and the ones to be selected print servers in addition to the selection conditions mentioned above conditions are taken into account, whereby the printer and the Print server is selected, which are in normal states.

Thus, the user has trouble finding the normal / spared abnormal conditions of the devices, and reliability, the availability and print throughput of the printing system can still be further improved.

Claims (34)

1. Printing system that uses a network that has:
Terminals that issue requests to print documents, each request including a description of the print specifications of the document;
a plurality of printers connected to the terminals via the network to be shared; and a print manager provided with a control table in which the document print specifications for each of the plurality of printers are stored, the device managing printing to select the printer for specific document print specifications stored in the control table is suitable, from a variety of printers based on the document printing request, which includes the designation of the specific document printing specifications as issued by the terminal, and to print the document specified by the terminal in the selected printer. 2. The printing system according to claim 1, wherein the document printing specification NEN at least a paper size, a kind of a page description language and the option of duplex printing.   3. Printing system according to claim 1, wherein the Druckverwaltungseinrich information to the printer that indicates the selected printer End device sends, which issued the document printing request Has. 4. Printing system that uses a network that has:
Terminals which issue requests to print documents, each request including a description of the print speci fi cations of the document;
a plurality of printers connected to the terminals via the network to be shared;
at least one print server connected to the network so as to control printing of the plurality of printers; and
a print management device equipped with a control table in which the document print specifications for each of the plurality of printers is stored, the device managing printing so as to select the printer suitable for certain document print specifications stored in the control table, is suitable, from a variety of printers based on the document printing request, which includes the designation of the specific document printing specifications as issued by the terminal, and the document transmitted by the terminal, in the selected printer to print from the print server. 5. The printing system of claim 4, wherein the document printing specification NEN at least a paper size, a kind of a page description language and includes the option of duplex printing.   6. Printing system according to claim 4, wherein the Druckverwaltungseinrich device is built up from a print management server, which with connected to the network. 7. Printing system according to claim 4, wherein the Druckverwaltungseinrich device Information about the selected printer to the end device which issued the document print request. 8. Printing system that uses a network that has:
Terminals that issue requests to print documents, each of which includes a label for the print specifications of the document;
a plurality of printers connected to the terminals via the network to be shared;
at least one print server which is equipped with a control table for monitoring the print status of the respective printer and for storing the print status therein, and which is connected to the network in order to control the printing of the plurality of printers; and
a print management device equipped with a control table in which the document print specifications for each of the plurality of printers are stored, the device managing printing to select the printers suitable for certain document print specifications stored in the control table by a variety of printers based on the document printing request, which includes the designation of the specific document printing specifications as issued by the terminal, and the document to be printed transmitted from the terminal on a desired printer to print the selected printer via the print server according to the print conditions stored in the control table of the print server. 9. The printing system of claim 8, wherein the document printing specification NEN at least a paper size, a kind of a page description language and the option of duplex printing included. 10. The printing system of claim 8, wherein the printing condition of each print kers an error state of the corresponding printer and a The power supply to the corresponding printer is switched off includes. 11. The printing system of claim 8, wherein the printing condition of each print kers includes an amount of data of the document to be printed that remains in the corresponding printer. 12. The printing system of claim 8, wherein the print server with a Print spooler is equipped, in which the document to be printed elements are registered. 13. The printing system of claim 8, wherein the Druckverwaltungseinrich device made up of a print management server that works with the Network is connected. 14. A printing system according to claim 8, wherein the Druckverwaltungseinrich device installed in a desired print server is.   15. A printing system according to claim 8, wherein the Druckverwaltungseinrich device is installed in a desired terminal device. 16. The printing system of claim 8, wherein the Druckverwaltungseinrich device Information about the selected printers to the end device which issued the document print request. 17. A printing system that uses a network that has:
Terminals which issue requests to print documents, each request including a description of the print speci fi cations of the document;
a plurality of printers connected to the terminals via the network to be shared;
at least one print server which is equipped with a first control table therein storing the document print specifications for the respective printers and a print spooler for registering therein the documents to be printed which are transmitted by the terminal devices and which is connected to the network in such a way to control printing of the plurality of printers; and
a print management server which is equipped with a second control table for reading out the document print specifications of the respective printers which are stored in the first control table of the print server and for storing therein the read-out specifications, and which manages the printing in order to achieve the desired ones Select printers suitable for certain document printing specifications stored in the second control table from a variety of printers based on the document printing requirements, which include the designation of the specific document printing specifications as output by the terminals , and in order to print out the documents to be printed which are for the document print specifications which are registered in the print spooler of the print server in the selected, desired printers via the print server. 18. A printing system according to claim 17, wherein each terminal in the Print server for the detailed status of the print jobs of the Print server requests a command and the print server sends a response to the terminal that shows the detailed states which displays print jobs. 19. The printing system of claim 17, wherein the print management server connected to the network. 20. The printing system of claim 17, wherein the document printing specifics at least a paper size, a type of page description practice language and the option of duplex printing. 21. The printing system of claim 17, wherein the print management server Information about the selected printers to the end devices sends, which issued the document printing requests. 22. A printing system that uses a network that has:
Terminals which issue requests to print documents, each request including a description of the print speci fi cations of the document;
a plurality of printers connected to the terminals via the network to be shared;
at least one print server, which is equipped with a first control table for monitoring the printing states of the respective printers and for storing therein the printing states and the installation locations of the respective printers, and which is connected to the network so as to print the plurality of printers Taxes; and
a print management device equipped with a second control table in which the document print specifications for the respective printers are stored, the device managing the printing so as to select the printers which are for certain document print specifications stored in the second control table, are suitable, by a variety of printers based on the document printing requirements, which include the designation of the specific document printing specifications as issued by the terminals, and in order to print the documents that are transmitted by the terminals, in print desired printers of the selected printers via the print server in accordance with the print conditions and the installation locations of the printers, which are stored in the first control table of the print server. 23. The printing system of claim 22, wherein the printing condition of each print kers an error state of the corresponding printer and a The power supply of the corresponding printer is switched off includes. 24. The printing system of claim 22, wherein the printing condition is each A data amount of the document to be printed closes, which remains in the corresponding printer.   25. The printing system of claim 22, wherein the print server with a Print spooler is equipped, in which the document to be printed elements are registered. 26. The printing system of claim 22, wherein the print management device device is built up from a print management server that works with the Network is connected. 27. The printing system of claim 22, wherein the print management device device is installed in the print server. 28. The printing system of claim 22, wherein the print management device device Information about the selected printers to the end devices sends, which issued the document printing requests. 29. A printing system that uses a network that has:
Terminals which issue requests to print documents, each request including a description of the print speci fi cations of the document;
a plurality of printers connected to the terminals via the network to be shared;
at least one print server with a first control table for monitoring the document print specifications for the respective printer and for storing therein the document print specifications and the print statuses, and with a print spooler for registering therein the documents to be printed which are transmitted from the terminals is equipped, and which is connected to the network so as to control the printing of the plurality of printers; and
a print management server, which is equipped with a second control table for reading out the document print specifications of the respective printers and the print states, which are stored in the first control table of the print server, and for storing therein the read-out specifications and states, and which manages the printing in this way to select the printers that are suitable for certain document printing specifications stored in the second control table from a variety of printers based on the document printing requirements that designate the particular document printing specifications as output from the terminals and to print the documents to be printed, which are suitable for the document printing specifications as registered in the print spooler of the print server, on the desired printers by the print server according to the print conditions described in the second controls tables related to the selected printers. 30. Printing system according to claim 29, wherein each terminal device the printing Server about the detailed status of the print jobs of the print Server queried about a command, and the print server the end receives an answer about the detailed status of the print jobs sends. 31. The printing system of claim 29, wherein the print management server connected to the network. 32. The printing system of claim 29, wherein the document printing specifics at least a paper size, a type of page description Practice language and the possibility of duplex printing included.   33. The printing system of claim 29, wherein the print management server Information about the selected printers to the end devices sends, which issued the document printing requests. 34. The printing system of claim 29, wherein the printing condition is each An error condition of the corresponding printer and an off state of the power supply of the corresponding Printer.